Revival of the Heart
by Angel's Nocturne
Summary: NO LONGER CONTNUING. Atemu has moved onto the Afterlife, but the world is not safe. Princess Samira plans to take over, and its up to Anzu to revive Atemu in time to save her friends, with the help of... the Thief King? AxA YBx? JxM
1. Whisper in my ear

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note:_ This is my first fan fiction (at least on this site I already have other pre-written ones), so please, be gentle. Also, for all of you Evanescence fans out there( give me a cheer!... or don't, if you're too "cool" for that) I will be using a couple of their songs( there's even gonna be one in this chapter...Whoo!). It's "My Last Breath" by Evanescence (just repeating this name for the heck of it), and I shall repeat: I AM SOOOO HAPPY TO BE HERE! _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart **

**By: Angel's Nocturne **

**Chapter 1: Whisper in my ear…. **

The image was vivid, as it always was every night. Anzu watched in her dream-like state, almost unaware that it was her dream that she was once again witnessing. The events played out like clockwork, each moment coming after the next in a flowing motion that swept Anzu back to her memories of that depressing day...

It was the day that Atemu was finally leaving for the memory world. The scenes played out as time fast-forwarded at a high speed...the tears were shed... the words spoken... some words that should have been said never escaped as the tragic event took its course... the eternity that was Anzu's dream almost appeared ongoing until it reached its final climatic moment.

It was what none of the others saw. No one, not even Yugi had noticed the subtle movement, but Anzu did. She saw it as though it was only meant for her eyes alone; but why her? Why not Yugi, or Joey? Why her?

_Hold on to me, love _

_You know I can't stay long _

_All I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid _

_Can you hear me? _

_Can you feel me in your arms? _

Atemu had gone into the doorway, the one leading him towards the afterlife for which he had longed so desperately to see, to be with those of his forgotten past. Anzu noticed that there wasn't a tear in his eye, or a sad feeling emanating from his amethyst orbs; he seemed... glad to be leaving them, glad to be...

_Holding my last breath _

_Safe inside myself _

_Are all my thoughts of you _

_Sweet raptured light _

_It ends here tonight _

_No, he would never be **happy** to leave us... would he? _The idea was impossible, doubtful, hurtful...yet so true as Anzu gazed upon the Pharaoh's purple eyes. He stepped into the glowing doorway, his outfit transformed into that of the pharaoh he once was, as he glanced back upon his friends. The words that she wanted to say jumped to her tongue, wishing to be spoken but were willed back into her heart, for they were not words of farewell in the least.

_I'll miss the winter _

_A world of fragile things _

_Look for me in the white forest _

_Hiding in a hollow tree ( come find me) _

_I know you hear me _

_I can taste it in your tears _

Time sped up again, but Anzu seemed not to notice as images zoomed on by. Her dream finally slowed to witness the moment that the temple caved in; she eyed her friends as they ran to escape the falling debris. From her out-of-body state she could see Shadi before he vanished into the darkness...

And there it was.

The passageway from which Atemu departed glowed with a holy light once more, as if the Pharaoh was trying to return from the world of the afterlife. Anzu could feel her dream-self's heart leap at the prospect of seeing him for one last time, but she knew that it could never be.

_Holding my last breath _

_Safe inside myself _

_Are all my thoughts of you _

_Sweet raptured light _

_It ends here tonight _

Whatever she had been expecting to occur didn't come to pass, as a small ball of pure white light shot towards her like a dead-on missile; she flinched, but the strange light did not make an impact as it slowed enough to stop directly in front of her. Anzu, though mentally aware of the danger this foreign ball of light could very well possess, felt so mesmerized by its shining brilliance that she couldn't help but hold out her hand...

_Closing your eyes to disappear _

_You pray your dreams will leave you here _

_But still you wake and know the truth _

_No one's there _

Gently, the tiny little star descended upon her palm; as it landed, the light faded away into the object's true form. Anzu gasped as she realized it was the cartouche she had given the Pharaoh before he had left for the Memory World. It was the same as when she had given it to him, except for the beautiful inscription that was now engraved onto its shiny, silver surface.

It read, "Atemu".

_Say goodbye _

_Don't be afraid _

_Calling me calling me as you fade to black _

A lone voice...a whisper in her ear... Anzu was sure that she didn't hear it later... but every night, as each dream came to pass, she knew it could only be-

"So that you won't forget me."

...him.

---

"ATEMU!"

Anzu awoke from another bad dream, sweat forming on her brow even though her bed covers were clearly thrown off the bed in a small heap on her carpeted floor. The room was dark with midnight shadows, save the soft glow of moonlight that poured in through her bedroom window, and with her vision slightly hindered by the dark Anzu could strongly feel her heart pounding in her chest with a terrified sadness. Though every time she had that dream she became filled with the pain of remembering Atemu, she knew deep down inside that the same dream, the same images, will haunt her in her sleep tomorrow evening as well. She sighed.

"It was only the dream again", she whispered, disappointed. The things that Anzu saw always seemed so real; so real, that even though she knew it to be a dream she was nearly fooled every time she saw it replay in her mind. "Only a dream-"

In the silent darkness a soft chiming noise echoed in the deep regions of Anzu's mind; it took a moment to register that it came from her chest. Glancing down, a light as gentle as frost shimmered from a small pendant resting near her heart: Pharaoh Atemu's cartouche.

Anzu kept back the tears. All of the words that she wanted to say at his departure, all of the things that she wanted to tell Atemu before he had to leave, accumulated into the tears that threatened to fall from her azure eyes. So often did she regret not informing him of the feelings bubbled deep inside of her soul that she was curious if he could hear her from the afterlife, even now. She bit her lip before she could let her thoughts become verbal.

"Oh Atemu...", she quietly mumbled as she began to drift back into the sleep she left so quickly. She gathered up the blankets she kicked off earlier and closed her eyes from the world. "If only you could send me a sign. A sign... that you can hear me..."

Little did the sleeping girl know that her prayers were answered as she dozed off into a dreamless slumber, when an odd mist formed upon her window pane when her window was clean just a moment before. Like an invisible hand had touched the glass, a message was soon written like a ghostly apparition had created it. Though how it got there seemed to be a mystery in itself, but the message that it had conceived was even more obscure, and what it meant would seem to be the most puzzling mystery of all...

"Danger looms near."

---

_Author's Note: How was it? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Do you want me to stop asking these questions? Well, in any case, please review anyway! I REALLY wanna know what you think about my work! Oh, and by the way, I will be using their English names for every other character besides Anzu; I just like her Japanese name better. _


	2. A New Evil Reborn

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi(as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _I got four new cool reviews! I'm SOOO excited! I can't wait to update just to make them happy! Yee! (You know who you are, so wave your hands in the air w/ pride... I LOVE YOU GUYS! THANK YOU!)_

#2 Author's Note: _Words and/or phrases that are in italics are thoughts and can represent conversations between a yami and a hikari. Let us continue..._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 2: A New Evil Reborn...**

The crisp, autumn breeze hushed over the Domino Museum as the full moon glowed in the dark blue sky. All the workers and janitors had left hours ago, off to a well-deserved slumber at their own homes, leaving the museum empty and quiet. Almost frozen by the silence, the inner corridors of the museum were dead, dormant without the visiting tourists. The cold, slate blocks that made up the floors and walls echoed of no one until one of the exhibit rooms sprang to life. Light flooded the larger, rectangular-shaped room, and one of the doors with the "For Employees Only" signs on the front opened loudly.

One of the young security guards entered through that doorway, a small, half-eaten sub sandwich in his mouth and dark circles beneath his tired eyes. Dressed in a gray uniform with a matching cap to cover up his unruly red hair, the security guard trudged across the empty room, the heels of this black shoes tapping on the stone floor, his gun jerking slightly in its holster to the rhythmic movements of its master's legs. He reached the end of the exhibit room, and went to flip the light switch off when he felt something stir behind him. Nervous, he abruptly grabbed his gun and turned to face the present danger; to his relief, no one was there. He slowly put his gun back in its holster.

"Geez, why'd I take the graveyard shift?" he mumbled to himself, as he polished the name tag that he wore on his shirt. It read, "Daniel Thompson". "I could have been out partying at Stacy's house tonight, but _no_. I needed the extra cash. Ugh, this place is so creepy at night..."

Turning around to go back to the room from which he came from, Daniel chose to check the room one more time, just in case his earlier suspicions were right. He had heard on the news for the last view days that there were some thieves on the loose who still haven' been caught as of yet. Even so, one can never be too careful, in his opinion.

His murky green eyes turned left and right as his footsteps echoed against the tiled floor, examining each artifact and the area around them. Vases with hieroglyphs etched upon their surfaces, Mummified cats in small wooden sarcophagi, and odd paintings were all that he could see, along with his own skinny shadow moving alongside him. To his eyes, everything appeared as normal as any Egyptian exhibit could be, along with the ancient mummified bodies staring him with empty eye sockets. Taking no mind to the creepy feeling that always washed over him when he looked at those things, Daniel made his way to the other side of the relatively long room; finally relaxed enough to release his fears (and the breath that he was also holding), the guard was about to return to his post in the next room, when something to his right caught his eye.

It was a large sarcophagus, gold-covered and had beautiful markings traced on its surface with black and red paints of some sort. The coffin was covered with millions of heiroglyphs that stretched from its feet to its shoulders. the normally seen painted-on face adorned the head of the sarcophagus's lid, which was closed so that the artwork done on the coffin could be displayed instead.

Daniel approached the entrancing object, wondering why he had taken such of a sudden interest in it; he passed it just about everyday on his way to his work post, his eyes never once glancing at it, and yet now the sarcophagus seemed to radiate with a mysterious aura as if it glowed with a light of its own.

Above the glass-encased coffin was a small board that had all the information on who laid within the sarcophagus. Unable to help himself, Daniel looked up to read what it had to say about this captivating artifact.

The board read: "Within this newly recovered sarcophagus lies the remains of the mysterious Princess Samira, an ancient ruler of Egypt from around 3000 B.C. Her cause of death is still unknown, as well as many other facts and events that happened during her reign, but she was thought to be around 16 or 17 at the time of her death. Found in a hidden tomb close to the Valley of the Kings, Princess Samira's history is still under further investigation by archaeologists."

Daniel stared at the words on the small gray board, puzzled by what he had read. _Must be one of the really new artifacts, then, if they still don't have any updates on it. _For a moment he watched the coffin, as if was about to move or make a noise, and then he shrugged to himself. _Ha, what to I know? I'm a security guard, not some historian!_

Out of the quiet, a loud, obnoxious beeping sound erupted from the guard's wrist; startled, he looked down to see that he had accidentally turned on his wrist watch's alarm without setting the alarm clock as well. He glanced at the time.

"12:00," he mumbled aloud, "Great, still another hour to go." He turned the security room door to grag the other half of sub sandwich he hadn't eaten yet when he realized that he couldn't move; looking down he saw that his feet were strangely frozen to the floor by some invisible force.

"What the-" Daniel was completely interrupted by what was starting to occur in front of him; the once dead, lifeless sarcophagus was now suddenly glowing with an eerie, bright light! Distant chanting in some obscure language that Daniel couldn't make out could be heard echoing through the once quiet building, and the light continued to get brighter by the second. Thye security guard covered his eyes in response to the increasing brightness, but through the chanting and the sound of his own heart pounding in his ears he thought he could hear a scraping noise, like rough stone rubbing against rough stone!

Forcing his eyes to open, he almost yelped in shock; the lid of the sarcophagus was being moved over by a mummified hand that was inside the coffin! The heavy lid was slowly pushed off far enough for the sarcophagus to be considerably open, and the hand slipped back where it came from. Daniel was about to sigh when the hand was soon replaced by the face of beautiful young woman! The young security guard soon assumed that he had been fooled by one of his female co-worker's pranks. Again.

"Amy, is that you!" Daniel shouted over the monotonous chanting. "Look, you got me, okay! This ain't funny anymore! Cut it out for a sec!" Hearing no response, and watching the mysterious woman rise out of the sarcophagus-and right through the glass- the boy's blood ran cold; he felt his hands shaking nervously as he realized that this wasn't some little prank anymore, and if it was they were doing a great job of scaring him. The mysterious woman fully appeared out of the sarcophagus, and as she did so the strange light and chanting finally died away. Taking in the figure before him, the guard's eyes went wide with terror and disbelief.

The person seemed young, like a girl in her late teens, with long, flowing black hair tipped at the ends with a red color as dark as blood; her skin was darkly tanned, and appeared young and flawless. She wore a tight , white dress that reached down to her ankles, and was adorned with many gold bracelets, rings, anklets, a belt, and a large gold collar around her shoulders; what frightened Daniel the most was that while her left arm was elegant and delicately formed with gold nail polish on her fingernails, her arm was similar to the mummified hand he had seen earlier!

The flesh was tight yet wrinkled, shriveled, and bandages were still wrapped around her dead, decayed arm; within an instant, a bright glow surrounded the arm, and when it faded away, it revealed a normal, tan-skinned arm with a gold gauntlet decorated with rubies. A warm sensation overtook the terrified guard's pants, and at first he thought that the mystic woman had done something to him, but he realized a moment later that he had wet himself.

The woman smiled at the guard eagerly. "What a surprise", she crooned malevolently, "that I already have a servant waiting for me when I awaken. How pleasing."

The guard pulled out his gun and pointed it at the woman. "I don't know what the hell you are, but I do know that you're not supposed to be here!"

She snickered. "Foolish boy. The only thing you should be thinking about is how to serve your master." She raised her left hand up, revealing the symbol of an eye on her palm; suddenly, a bright blue light radiated from the odd symbol, filling the room with its glow. Daniel was blinded, his vision flooded by this strange blue light, and then his mind went blank...

"Heh", the woman hissed proudly as she looked down at the boy before her; no longer were his green eyes sharp and alive with youth and energy, but were vacant and it seemed that he had become a body with no soul. Upon his forehead was the image of the blue Eye of Horus. "One boy down, and now...the world!"

---

Author's Note: _So, liking it more? And guess what? It gets better! Yes, I know, how can it possibly get any better than Anzu grieving for Atemu, and some female version of Malik running loose? Well, trust me, it does! And is she just like Malik, or is Samira's mind control power a little bit different? And when will she encounter our heroes, especially Anzu? Oh, I just can't wait to update again! Don't worried, I'll be constantly attempting to type out my pre-written story (yes, this is pre-written! And there is one that I pre-wrote before this one that I will hopefully bring to soon enough). Until the next chapter, see you later!_


	3. Another Beautiful Morning

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi(as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Yes! Two chapters down and several more to go (that's right, my readers!). This is gonna be one long, LONG story, and could possibly be part of a trilogy (depends on the # of reviews by the time this story is complete!)._

#2 Author's Note: _Can someone please tell me what happened to songfics? All I keep hearing is that songfics are no longer allowed, so please, DO NOT mistake the first chapter as a songfic! I only use them to enhance the story, not base the story upon it! And rejoice, since I will be using at least one more song in this fanfic (another Evanescence song! Yee!)._

#3 Author's Note: _Anything written in italics represents thoughts. Now, stop listening to me and READ!_

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 3: Another Beautiful Morning...**

The morning sun flowed through Anzu's window pane's, sending its warm, golden rays splashing across her bedroom. The weather outside was crisp and fresh, just as every autumn in Domino felt on a sunny morning such as this. The trees were already beginning to change into the bright fiery colors that are always associated with the season, and the morning dew that once adorned the grass each fall morning was now becoming crystals of frost that sparkled like diamonds in the sun's gentle light.

Anzu's eyes fluttered open as the sun peeked into her room; still only semi-conscious, the brightly glowing sunlight didn't fully register in her thoughts as to what time in the morning it must have been. Rubbing the sand from her eyes, Anzu sleepily opened her eyes and turned to glance at her alarm clock face-

"Oh God, it's that late already!" she screamed, immediately awake and alert. "I'm gonna be late for school!" Leaping out of bed, the brunette peered out her window to the street below to see if Yugi was already waiting for her outside; however, she couldn't see past this small cloud of mist that had formed on her window pane. Panicking, she quickly wiped it off with her sleeve, only to realize too late that the fog had marks on it, like some form of ... writing?

_Must've been my imagination..._ Looking back outside, she could see Yugi standing idly on the sidewalk. With that known, Anzu knew that she really had to move now if she wanted to make it to school at all, let alone on time. The teen wasted no time getting ready, her white school uniform shirt and blue skirt on in a moment and her brown school shoes being put on one after the other once her socks were on her feet. Swiftly and efficiently she tied on her blue bowtie around her neck and then headed into the bathroom to fix up her face.

She splashed the ice cold water from the bathroom sink onto her light- skinned face, looking up at the mirror once she toweled off the excess. Her aqua-blue eyes seemed bright and unnatural in the bright artificial light from her bathroom light bulbs, and her mousy-brown hair was a bit messy since she had just rolled out of bed. As she began to stroke her hair brush through the rat's nest that at the moment she would refer to as her hair, the cartouche that had been lying still underneath Anzu's shirt pulsed, almost as if it hed a heart beat of its own. Anzu looked down at it, and then continued to brush her hair absent-mindedly.

_It feels so long ago... the day that Atemu left us...when in reality he has only been gone for a week. _It felt a whole lot longer to Anzu; having the cartouche around with her all the time gave her a constant reminder during the day, while her dreams made her relive the memory every night. Anzu hadn't told the guys-Yugi, Joey, and Tristan- about the gift that Atemu had left her so secretly; after the first two nights of crying with Yugi at his house, Anzu didn't want to worry the guys about this as well.

_But maybe I should tell them; they seem to have let go of him so easily. After those first two nights, they seem to have already gone on with their lives. Even Yugi, who was connected to Atemu in the closest way possible! I just wish they would care a little more, so that I wouldn't feel so left out..._

"Anzu! Are you awake, dear! Yugi's here to walk with you to school, and you're gonna be late if you don't hurry up!"

Anzu sighed. She must have lost track of time, getting caught up in her thoughts like that. "Coming, Mom!" With all that thought time, Anzu's hair was now silky smooth because she had been brushing it in a constant motion while she was thinking. She gave herself a warm smile in the mirror, and then she scurried downstairs where her mother was just finishing up breakfast.

"Morning, sweetheart", her mother said as Anzu sat down on the stool that accompanied the kitchen's island. A plate of what appeared to be easy-over eggs and a small sausage sat on it, waiting for her to chow down on each savory bite. Starving, the teen gobbled down the meal down in haste.

"Um...mmm...morning...mm...Mom..."

The sound of pots clattering together as Anzu's mom washed them and Anzu munching on what was left of her breakfast remained the only sounds in the room for a few moments before Anzu's mother finally spoke up.

"Anzu, you won't believe what I heard on the news this morning!"

Anzu glanced up at her mother in mid-bite, listening. "Yeah?"

"It was so strange! Apparently there's been another robbery, from that person they can't seem to catch, right? Or at least that's what I think they assume it to be... anyway, there was an incident at the Domino Museum where they found one of their security guards in the Egyptian exhibit, acting shell-shocked and mumbling things and stuff like that. They said that they couldn't get any decent information out of him either because he was so shaken, and the only intelligible thing he said was 'red eyes'! Creepy, huh?"

Anzu had in fact found it to be quite disturbing. _The Domino Museum... _Somehow it gave her the chills to think that something strange like that would occur in the same place where Atemu had first learned about his ancient memories. But the "red eyes" thing puzzled her even more.

"Mom, I don't think they give out information like that through news reports. Did Dad tell you?" Her mother nodded.

"Yes, your father informed me about it. He was so mad that he didn't get to that story first, too!" She chuckled a little. "But when you're a newspaper reporter, you gotta get that new story, right?"

"Yeah, I guess. Hey, is Dad coming home this afternoon?"

"Not until later. He said he'd get off work around 7-ish. Oh, and I won't be home this afternoon either. Work's got me doing an extra shift since Pauline's out sick. Food's in the fridge if you need it." The woman kissed her daughter on the cheek. "You'd better get going, or else you'll make that nice boy Yugi late too!"

Anzu got off the stool, leaving her empty plate on the table for her mom to get. She grabbed her pink school uniform blazer and her backpack before leaving out the front door. "Bye, Mom!"

"Bye, sweetie!" Anzu closed her front door as she left, locking it behind her as she turned to meet her best friend of several years.

Yugi smiled at her, his grin warmer than the rising sun behind him. He was wearing the typical school uniform for the boys at her school, consisting of a white collared shirt, blue pants, a blue jacket and his favorite sneakers. His hair was as spiky and unusual as ever, with it's blend of black, red, purple, and with blonde bangs framing his young face. "Morning, Anzu!"

She gave him a smile back. "Hey Yugi! Having a good morning?"

He sighed, then looked at her with his huge purple eyes. "I guess I am, but we won't if we don't get to school soon!"

"I'm so sorry! I got up late and my alarm didn't go off when it should have... why are you smiling at me, Yugi?" It had taken her a while to finally notice that her friend was grinning as he watched her walk beside him.

"Because I feel so lucky to have you as my friend." Anzu could feel the tears forming in her eyes, but Yugi didn't appear to notice them. She held them back.

"T-thanks, Yugi" He continued to smile the whole way to school as he talked about Joey's antics yesterday after school that Anzu hadn't seen since she left for home right after school was out; Anzu half-listened as her own thoughts filled her head. _Wow, Yugi seems so... happy, like he's already stuffed Atemu's memories in the back of his mind! Like he wasn't even that important! Is he just covering up his true feelings? _She glanced at him as he babbled away to her._ Or has he really forgotten?_

"Anzu? Hey, Anzu?" Startled by Yugi's worried voice, Anzu jumped slightly. "Um, are you alright? You're awfully quiet..."

"Hmm? What, who, me? Naw, I'm just... listening to you talk, that's all. You don't need to worry about me, Yugi. I'm okay." Yugi looked at Anzu with his amethyst eyes for a long second, and Anzu was doubting that he bought her lie. But then the teen smiled again and continued talking as they made their way to the Domino High School. Little did they know that a pair of red eyes was watching them from afar...

---

Author's Note: _And now we are slowly progressing further into our story! If you are reading this and have not reviewed yet, then PLEASE do! I really like to hear from everyone who is reading my story and if they are enjoying it or not. Also, if you are have any critisim for my my fanfic, please review as well! I want to get better in my writing and any bit advise could be essential. Anyway, just wait for my next chapter and promise to review if you haven't already! 'Kay? Okay!_


	4. Warnings from the Dead

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Now I have11 reviews! Oh, I am SOOO glad that there are people out there that actually CARE enough to review my stuff! But ... I KNOW that there are more of you readers out there, and I KNOW that you are reading this, and I KNOW that you are not SO mean as to not review me, right? So DO IT! I know that I haven't been on here long, but at least give me a sign that you are OUT THERE! And no FLAMES! Those are just mean (or so I've heard)._

#2 Author's Note: _All words and/or phrases that are in italics are thoughts, or the warnings of a particular spirit who will now officially make contact with our heroes! If you know who this is, pat yourself on the back and start reading! If not ... then start reading anyway!_

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 4: Warnings from the Dead...**

"Hey, it's Yugi and Anzu!" Joey shouted as the pair entered the classroom. Tristan and Joey both turned, laughing away at a recent joke while Anzu and Yugi made their way to their seats. "The bell's gonna ring in a couple of seconds! You guys were really riskin' it today!"

"Yeah, what took you guys so long?" Tristan asked.

"Oh, well, I woke up late this morning", Anzu said as she took out her homework from last night. "And Yugi walked with me to school, so that's why he's late too." Suddenly Joey got a sparkle in his eye as he faced Yugi.

"Yugi, you turnin' into a Casanova on me, are ya? Gettin' Anzu all alone, walkin' her ta school instead of her walkin' **you** taschool... Are you gonna put the moves on her next, or are you gonna start stalking her, like Tristan and Duke do to my sister?" Joey gave an evil glare to his friend, and Tristan started to blush a light shade of red.

"Hey man, it's not like that!"

"Hmph! I don't think Serenity would lie 'bout seeing an odd figure outside her house last week, with YOUR hair! Seriously dude! If you're gonna stalk my sister, wear a wig or something!"

Tristan blushed deeper. "I-I was hoping to ask her o-out, b-but I got nervous... will you just let it go already, man!"

Joey shrugged at his stammering friend. "Geez, it's not a big deal, dude, I forgive you! But if I ever catch you doin' it again, I'll have my Red-Eyes Black Dragon burn you to cinders!"

"Come on guys, settle down!" Yugi said weakly, but that seemed to do more than any loud voice could ever do. Both Joey and Tristan sighed and smiled at each other.

"So, we cool now man?" Tristan asked.

Joey nodded. "Yeah, we're cool."

Yugi at seeing his successful peace request answered looked at back at Anzu cheerfully. "Joey and Tristan can have such a change of heart, right Anzu?"

"What?" The brunette responded. "Oh, yeah, sure." In reality Anzu hadn't even realized that something had occurred directly behind her. She was staring into space so much that she actually missed a small argument happen between her two goofball friends. At this point Yugi finally noticed this as well. He frowned.

"Anzu, are you sure that you-"

"Good morning students!" The teacher for first period, Mr. Mizumoto, interrupted Yugi's concern as he took a seat at his desk in the front of the class. The class mumbled out something along the lines of "Good Morning, Mr. Mizumoto", but it was a bit scrambled since everyone was still half asleep. The teacher didn't appear to mind, since he continued to feign a grin. "Is everyone ready for a pop quiz?"

"What!" Joey half- yelled, half-whispered, along with almost every other student in the whole class. Complaints started flying, but Joey's was the most defined from the crowd. "I can't believe this! That's a bunch of bull-"

"Joey, relax! Don't curse at the teacher!" Yugi warned. Joey settled down, as did most of the others once the shock wore off, grumbling about how unfair it was. Mr. Mizumoto waited until it was completely silent to clear his throat.

"Yes, well, I can see that you are all very anxious to get started this morning, so I don't think I should delay you all any further." He began to pass out the papers. "It's really short, so I don't think it should take any of you much time to finish. Start once you get your paper passed back to you from the front of each row."

Anzu sat in front of Yugi, and when he didn't receive his quiz he wondered what was wrong. "Anzu?" he whispered. Still she did not respond. He tapped her on the shoulder, to which she abruptly turned in surprise.

"Huh? What?"

"Anzu you have to pass down the pop quiz for me!" he whispered. Anzu wasn't sure what he was talking about until she saw the packets in front of her. She sighed. _Why was I zoning out again? I'm going to get in trouble if I don't focus. _As quietly as possible she handed Yugi his paper. He looked at her, worried.

"Anzu, is there-"

"No talking during the pop quiz." Mr. Mizumoto interrupted again, not even looking up from the work on his desk. Both of the teens jumped, startled. "Or else I will assume you're cheating and I will have to flunk you on this quiz!" Anzu looked back at Yugi.

"Let's talk later", she whispered. Yugi nodded, and then Anzu turned to the task at hand: the dreaded pop quiz.

After the first half of the questions, Anzu realized that she actually knew the stuff they were asking for. _For once, Mr. Mizumoto was right; this isn't so hard. _Anzu began to answer the last part of the quiz, which was the section on open-ended questions, with complete confidence in her knowledge on the subjects they discussed. However, by the end of the second question, she started to doubt that she would even finish it, let alone the quiz.

For some reason, she began to feel dizzy. Actually, she didn't really **feel** dizzy, but she assumed that she was since the text that she was reading was starting to blur on her. The brunette blinked several times, but that didn't seem to do much good. The writing still continued to look all smudged and run together.

_Uh, what's wrong with me? Why can't I read these words? _She was about to request if she could go to the nurse's office when her vision began to clear, and the blurry mess she saw before became readable again. _Wait, never mind! I'm good again! Now where did I leave off...?_ She gasped aloud.

_This isn't my quiz! I-I... how can this be? _Her heart skipped a beat. Then another.

_This doesn't make sense!_

It looked like normal writing. It **was** normal writing. But instead of giving a question, this paper was giving a warning. For her. For Anzu.

"_Please run!_" The paper read. "_Anzu, please! You're in serious danger! The darkness is coming, and it wants you! It will kill you! Please listen, run...run...PLEASE!"_

Anzu shook her head, trying to keep the words from echoing in her head; tears were starting to form and pain blossomed in her heart. She knew this voice, this weary, warning voice…she knew it all too well. Her mind began to spin as her heart began to race, and a soft chiming noise was being emitted from her chest. It was the cartouche, Atemu's pendant, and it rang a heavenly sound that seemed to resonate from the very messages that swirled about inside of Anzu, like a multitude of screaming spirits howling to the note of an angel's voice….

Anzu was ready to pass out when she heard the teacher's voice being directed at her. Immediately, all the chaos and noise that just a moment ago erupted like Hiroshima inside of her had calmed within an instant. Anzu's blue eyes then looked up to notice that almost everyone in the class was looking at her, including Yugi.

"Miss Mazaki?" Mr. Mizumoto asked again.

"Y-Yes?" Anzu stammered, still unable to fully come back to reality and focus. Her head still felt like utter turmoil was only seconds away from returning.

"You look sick. Do you want to go to the nurse's office?" Anzu thought about it for a moment, and then realized that if that incident did re-occur again, she might pass out from the dizziness, and that would be extremely embarrassing in front of her class. She nodded. "Okay, then you're dismissed. You can finish your quiz another time, Miss Mazaki."

"Thank you, teacher." Anzu whispered. Though, at first, walking made her fell sick, she eventually felt better once she reached the door. She slipped out, hardly noticed once all the commotion died away.

"Anzu…," Yugi whispered.

---

Anzu moved quickly past the classrooms, through the hallways as she tried to breathe. Her thoughts were all scrambled, and she wasn't sure what to do. What had happened in the classroom earlier was so frightening to Anzu, but at the same time it made her wonder about its cause. _Did I just imagine the change in the writing? Then why did I feel safe? Why did I hear **his** voice instead of my own when I read it? The Pharaoh's voice...?_

The walk through the halls were calming for Anzu's mind; the sunlight warmed her back as she past by a large set of windows looking out at the school courtyard, and it was very quiet since everyone was in their classrooms. All of a sudden, a cold chill ran up Anzu's spine as a whispering voice made its presence known.

"Anzu!" the voice shouted, though it sounded like it was very far away. Anzu turned abruptly, hoping to see Yugi or Joey coming after her, but it was to her fear's delight that no one was in the hall behind her; it was completely devoid of all human life.

"Anzu!" the disembodied voice said again. This time Anzu failed to turn around, her gut feeling restricting her from doing so. Instead she quickened her pace, speed walking down the deserted hall. Anzu could feel herself breathe faster, her mind racing as she sped down the hall.

_Where do I go! What do I do!_

"Anzu!" Charging into a run, Anzu found the stairwell that led up onto the roof of the school. Somehow she unconsciously ran here without thinking about where she was running to, but she was glad that she was here anyways; the school nurse would think she was crazy if she told her the reason why she was there.

Terrified to look behind her, Anzu ran up the steps, jolts of adrenaline pumping through her. She could feel the mysterious voice following her, chasing her up the staircase. Reaching for the exit, Anzu grabbed for the silver handle, pulling the heavy metal door that brought her outside; the door slammed behind her, producing a loud thud in its wake. Once again silence revered around her, the troubling situation inking into her thoughts. She sank to the floor, her back against the wall near the door. She felt like crying, after the shock wore off into tears of overwhelming grief. Once again she knew the voice that spoke her name, and though she knew who it was she couldn't help but feel fear against it, since it was so alarming and sudden.

_Is Atemu in trouble? What is he trying to warn me about?_

"Anzu?" The voice that called her now was different from the one before, and Anzu immediately turned to see Yugi standing in the next to her. He seemed distraught.

"Yugi… why are you here?"

"You ran out of class so…strangely." Yugi took a seat besides her on the ground. "I was worried. I've never seen you so upset before, or at least not since…." His voice trailed off with the wind. "Anyway, what made you leave like that?"

Anzu sighed, inwardly hoping that Yugi would not become more upset when she told him her reason. "Yugi… I think I've received messages from Atemu."

A moment of silence, then it seemed to hit Yugi with the force of a tidal wave. "What!" Yugi's eyes grew to the size of baseballs. "Atemu! But how-"

"I don't know", Anzu replied, pondering whether or not she'd regret telling Yugi. "It was really odd. I was doing the quiz, and I was on the second word question when out of nowhere the words changed into these warnings. It said things like 'Run Anzu' and 'You are in danger'! The whole thing looked like that!" The brunette looked over at Yugi; still in shock, he stared ahead of him as if he had died. "And then, as I was going through the halls, I could hear Atemu's voice calling from behind me, but no one was there! I ran up here, and that was it."

A silence purged the moment, allowing the new information to adjust within Yugi. Anzu was afraid that Yugi, after hearing about Atemu, had lost his sanity or fallen into a comatose. "Yugi", she whispered, "are you there?"

He turned his head to slowly face hers. Anzu could see the tears mounting his sad eyes, his face tensed up to hold them back. "Anzu…."

"Yes?"

"Did…did you see anything strange last night?"

She shook her head. "No, not really. How come?"

Yugi remained persistent. "No fog on your bedroom window?" Anzu gasped.

"How did you know?" she spitted out, disturbed. Her memory reversed back to the moment where she was looking for Yugi out the window, her sleeve cleaning away an odd mist that had formed on the glass. "Did you-"

"I saw it on my window", the amethyst-eyed teen began. "Last night, close to twelve. I was doing my homework, 'cause I spent the afternoon looking at Duel Monsters cards." He smiled sheepishly. "I was about to go to bed, when I saw this fog on my window. I figured it was just my breath on the glass or something. There was something written on it, and when I read it, it said: 'Danger looms near'." He stared deeply into Anzu's azure eyes, serious and trusting. "I know that was Atemu. No one else could have that but him."

"Yugi, I know that sounds great, but it makes no sense. Why would he be warning about some form of evil? What could possibly be coming that he'd have to send us messages from the afterlife?"

"It must be something; otherwise he wouldn't be so persistent, right?" Yugi turned to face the crystal blue sky, his manner strained. "I only wish I knew, that's all. Even without Atemu, I've been sensing something strange, something dark... I just wish Atemu were here. He'd know what to do."

Absorbing the moment, Anzu knew what Yugi said was true. If Atemu were around, there wouldn't be as much fear as to what the incoming danger was as there is now. Plucking up her courage, Anzu turned to her spiky-haired friend. "Yugi?"

"Hm?"

"I've been thinking. You and Joey and Tristan… you all seem so happy now. I know that you… but what Joey and Tris-"

"They miss him too, don't worry", Yugi replied. "You know how Joey and Tristan are, always needing to be strong. But when they come to hang over at my house, they break down and start crying right with me. They haven't forgotten. If anything, they remember too much. None of us will let go of his memory, ever."

"I believe you, Yugi." Relief washed over Anzu. Now she knew that she shouldn't have doubted her friends, when she knew all along what the outcome of her question would be. Anzu smiled, feeling a weight being lifted off her shoulders, and she let the breeze flow over her face. Now she knew the truth.

"Anzu?" Snapping out of her joy, Anzu looked over at Yugi. He was already standing, waiting for her to get up. "We should go back to class now, don't you think. Mr. Mizumoto might that think we ran away to America by now."

Anzu rose to his feet, aware of the stiffness in her legs as she stood up. "Yeah, we probably should. Let's get going." Yugi pulled open the metal door for Anzu, allowing her to enter the stairwell first. She was half-way down the stairs when the usual thud of the door bounced through the narrow room, along with Yugi's voice.

"Um, Anzu?" She turned to face Yugi, who was at the top of the staircase. "If you get any more messages from Atemu, or anything strange happens, just call me up, okay?"

"Sure Yugi, I'll call."

"Good. I don't want you to feel alone with this, Anzu. We're in this together, just as we've always been, and… I miss you, Anzu. It's been a long time since we've seen each other after school."

A knot caught in Anzu's throat. "It's okay, Yugi. This whole thing with Atemu's got me a little shaky, so having someone to talk to would be a good thing." Yugi ran down the staircase to catch up with his friend, and as the sunlight shimmered like a glimmering spotlight down the hall, the two walked back to class together.

---

Author's Note:_Alright, that's Chapter 4 everyone! I don't have much time on the Internet today, so this will be short. Can't wait til next chapter to talk! Bye!_


	5. To foretell their fate

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _This is very tiring! How do those people who write, like, 40 chapter fanfictions survive? My fingers hurt! Well, anyway, you will now hear from the other main character of my story, the very cool, heroic, and looks-so-good-without- a- shirt-on Pharaoh… Atemu! We all loved those rare scenes on the TV show, don't we?... Well, I do, and that's all that matters!_

Author's Note: _Everything will be in italics, so any thoughts these people have will be in normal font. KEEP READING!_

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 5: To foretell their fate…**

_In comparison to the world below, the afterlife is far too beautiful for mere human eyes to see; the very air that the deceased breathe in and out has a glimmering essence to mortals that, if ingested, would leave one in a drunken stupor for as long as the substance remained within them. The sky was as endless and breath-taking as its earth-bound counterpart, but it was far more crystalline and the bluish hue of it was deep in color like that of the Caribbean Sea. Clouds were like small wisps of frost that lightly coated the azure sky, and birds of strange and wondrous colors speckled the aerial landscape like stray dots of rainbow colored paints._

_There are thousands upon thousands of people in the afterlife, since there have been millions of people inhabiting the earth since day one, and dying. But the afterlife is unlike the earth because it is an endless universe of spiritual substance and form, created solely by the mind and not in terms of physical space. There are unlimited numbers of earths, all under the same sky, all situated in the design of a person's mind; in other words, the person can create there own universe from which they can stay in until they decide to become reincarnated- if they ever wish to._

_The universe of 3000 B.C. Egypt was just as it was before the great destruction that plagued it in reality: a kingdom of infinite grace and power. Desert was still as far as the eye can see, and the heat was still at the unbearable temperature of its time, but to the Ancient Egyptians that was life as they knew it. Everything was still as it used to be, except that no one grew old, there was no such thing as work or money, and celebration was the all-year round necessity. There was no longer the burden of everyday life, or physical pain, or greed, or demands that could not be met, because almost anything could be imagined with the mind, and besides… this was the afterlife, so why worry about such trivial things like money and grudges?_

_The palace was still the most extravagant place to be in all of Egypt, and now that the worry of wars and others issues were gone along with physical existence, it was a party all year long: endless food, great music, and everyone from the kingdom was invited upon occasion. Every room, every corner, had some form of fun and excitement going on at full blast, never ceasing to rest or finish, every room…._

_Except one._

_---_

_It is a small, dark room with only an open doorway for light to flood in from during the day; at night it is lit by torches. It has simple furnishings, such as a bed and a dresser, but otherwise it's vacant of anything other than cob webs. However, there is one object that stands out from the plain, unused room. It is a mirror that stands in the center of this square chamber._

_The mirror is tall, about six feet or so in height, with a beautifully crafted frame made of a stone that was later leafed in gold. The glass is as clear and crystalline as the sky from which it reflects, since it faces the only doorway in the entire room. Normally, it remains clean and void of anything but the empty doorway that it reflects, but today, it seemed to act like a movie screen, displaying images that were a far cry from the world of Ancient Egypt. At the moment it was paused, like a frozen image, and what it showed was a pair of teenage school kids- a girl and a boy- sitting together on what appeared to be the school roof._

_Atemu stared at the mirror, a frustrated furrow in his brow and nervous sparkle in his amethyst eye. His hair was still the same star-shaped mess it was when he was alive, but also radiated with colors brighter than ever imagined; the purple and reds as brilliant as an island sunset, his bangs as golden as the rays of the sun itself, and the black as dark as the desert nights. Atemu's skin was still a golden brown color, and he wore several gold adornments around his head as well as on his person. He was dressed in his Pharaoh outfit, complete with the majestic purple cape and the white tunic; he ran his dark hands over the surface of the mirror, and the scene that was once frozen began to play again, showing the boy and girl opening a door to their left and heading down a flight of stairs out of his view. He sighed, his anxiety let out in one long exaggerated breath._

"_What can I do?" he whispered softly to himself. "Yugi… Anzu…. I keep warning you of this dark force approaching, the likes of which I have never felt before. How do I help you, all the way from here? I feel so useless…."_

"_My son, you are never useless", said a voice from behind. Atemu turned to see his father, Akhenamkhanen, or at least his silhouette, standing in the doorway. Though he now lived among the deceased, he still had not aged a bit in his time in the after life; he still had his gray hair and beard, and he was still dressed in his royal Egyptian garments. He looked upon his son with considerate eyes. "But your efforts are. No matter what you do here, your words will be a senseless dribble on the other side."_

_Atemu gave another sigh to release the stress. "But… I know I was close. I know that they can hear me, Father. I just… can't tell them what to be weary of in the coming future, for even I do not know what this new evil is. I wish I could."_

_His father gave him a light pat on the back to try and comfort him, but it did nothing to cease the overwhelming ache the young pharaoh felt in his heart. "There, there, my son. Don't fret. Remember, your friends on the living side are in the hands of the gods now, so whatever will happen, will happen, no matter what you try to do to prevent it."_

_Atemu looked up at his father's face, almost unwilling to believe that he could do nothing in his friends' time of peril. "I know, Father, I know. But that cannot stop me from trying." Akhenamkhanen smiled._

"_Yes, well, you were always determined to do what you felt right. Nothing changes over 5,000 years, I guess." He turned towards the doorway and directed his son to the many rooms that had reveling people partying inside, and he almost had to push him out of the room lest he remain here forever in distress. "Now my son, don't worry so much about the events in the physical world below, for there is still that banquet we are attending in your honor, and you do not wish to miss it."_

_Atemu gave his father a half-hearted smile. "Father, we have been having banquets in my honor for the last **week**! Surely you cannot be tired of these festivities?"_

_Akhenamkhanen laughed. "Atemu, I have been undergoing this same routine for the last 5,000 years! This has become a normalcy to me!" He pushed his reluctant son out of the room, and just before he decided to follow, he looked back at the large mirror behind him. Known as the All-Seeing Looking Glass, the strange device had changed images, now showing a young man in a purple trench coat sitting in front of his computer. The ex-pharaoh sighed._

"_May the living endure the events to come." And then he left._

---

Author's Note: _Sheesh, spelling Atemu's father's name is a nightmare! But I won't have to spell his name for another few chapters! A-ha! Now, I know that this chapter was a bit short, but don't get upset over it, since this one was not pre-written! I just decided that it would be nice to have, that's all. Well, I hope you liked your little insight into the afterlife, and if you understood my foreshadowing, then you should know who will be the star of my next chapter! Until then, see ya! (And don't forget to review!). _


	6. Spellbound by a Princess

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _You know what? I checked my reviews today only to find out that THERE ARE LESS PEOPLE READING MY FANFICTION EACH CHAPTER! To tell you the honest truth I panicked at first, but then you gotta sit back and remember that this means I am weeding out the great fans from the not-so-great fans, and to that I will tell all my great fans that I love all of you wonderful people 'cause you obviously think my fanfics are worth something more than just a piece of paper and are worthy of being read and treasured and reviewed and ... hold on, let me catch my breath first… that was one hell of a long drabble! Forget about me, though! The story's what you're here for after all!_

Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics, and so is the occasional spirit dialogue from our favorite spirit! Now, as we move along..._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 6: Spellbound by a Princess**

KaibaCorp Headquarters seemed unusually quiet that autumn day; compared to the normally hectic atmosphere the tall skyscraper usually contained, the entire building appeared as dead as the hopes of KaibaCorp's employees. Nonetheless, Seto Kaiba failed to notice the change in his building as he typed away at his computer.

Kaiba's office was, by far, the largest office in the entire KaibaCorp skyscraper; after all, he was the CEO. The carpet that covered the floor was a dark purple, matching Kaiba's always-present trench coat. There were comfy, cushioned lounge chairs off to the side for his slightly-favored guests-the others were told to stand-, bookshelves lined the walls, and an oversized office desk stood a good three feet away from behind the picturesque viewing window from which it faced away from. The entire city of Domino glittered behind the glass like a giant mural, especially done for Kaiba himself, and it flooded the room with an ocean's worthy of sunlight. Save the whining hum of all of the computer equipment, the room was fairly quiet, and undisturbed.

Sitting in his black leather office chair, the brown-haired President of KaibaCorp had lost the urge to type on his new keyboard, finally surrendering to the boredom that drenched him all day long. His cerulean eyes darted around the room as his fingers clicked on the cherry wood desk.

_Figures._ _The one day I have nothing to do, and there's no one here to boss around. Just my luck._

Things had become overly sluggish, to Kaiba's dislike. Ever since the KC Grand Tournament, where the popularity of KaibaCorp had risen significantly, the overall progress of the company remained smoothly intact. No longer threatened by some madman dressed as another madman wanting to steal his company, such as Alister with Dartz, Kaiba could rest assured that his hard-earned work would not vanish the way it almost had before; however, because of his company's "smooth sailing", Kaiba found that he now had nothing to do with his time. Everything had become a boring part of a long, long day….

But there was one exception.

Kaiba awoke from his thoughts, startled by the sound of his computer beeping back to life; the once placid screensaver that had been staring at him for the last hour was wiped away and replaced by the documents section. The typing page was blank, ready to imprinted with words, and the small icon at the top of the page blinked readily. Annoyed, the young CEO moved his hands to the mouse sitting beside the keyboard, and was almost about to delete the ghostly document from his sight when words quickly appeared on the once-blank page. The problem was… Kaiba wasn't the one typing.

"_Kaiba!_" The writing read. "_You're in danger! Leave now, while you still-_"Kaiba deleted the document from his computer screen.

_I don't know who the hell thinks this is funny, but that little hacker better be digging his grave right now._

The odd messages on Kaiba's computer screen had started about a week ago, oddly around the same time that the so-called Pharaoh had left. Kaiba wasn't there to witness it, but Ishizu had called the next day and informed of him of the event. Kaiba frowned at the thought; he just figured that it was another ploy to drag him into more fake fantasies. Though everyone spoke of the "Pharaoh" as some mysterious person who lived 5,000 years ago, Kaiba refused to be involved in any of it.

_They're just referring to Yugi. It's obvious to anyone that they have all lost their sanity, because they think he can be two different people._

Unwilling to be associated with the madness everyone else was now wrapped up in Kaiba decided to keep his head straight and continue on with his successful career; it was only until the messages the odd warnings appeared that he began to reconsider his plans.

Each one was the same, always telling Kaiba to run because some great evil was coming to get him. Compared to the other menacing, almost-world destroying episodes the KaibaCorp president has had to endure, the stalker's threats were nothing but a mere nuisance. Kaiba slumped back into his seat, ticked off.

_Hmph. This is a problem I need to get rid of soon. I wonder what insignificant flea is doing this, anyway…maybe that mutt Wheeler finally got smart enough to use the Internet_….

The mechanical sliding door that marked the entrance into Kaiba's domain opened, interrupting his cruel insulting thoughts and dragging his attention towards the door. A boy entered into his office, and he casually approached the desk ahead of him; he had long black hair that went down past his shoulders and had large brown eyes. The owner of KaibaCorp saw the kid and sighed.

"Mokuba, what are you doing up here?" Seto Kaiba asked, more curious than anything to know why his brother was in his office. "I told you not to bother me during work. I'm busy right now." In truth, Kaiba was actually bored to tears, but he had given Mokuba an order that was to be obeyed. Mokuba didn't answer as he might have to complain; instead the raven-haired boy simply stared into his brother's eyes, and it was then that Kaiba noticed something peculiar in his younger sibling's gaze. His eyes were dead and blank, as empty as dirt pits. Seeing the absence of life in his brother's unwavering stare, Kaiba's memory retrograded backwards.

_I know that I've seen that look on him before. The last time I saw him like this was when Pegasus took his soul-_

The CEO's shot up, shocked. Although he truly did not believe in the dramatic concepts that Yugi and his geeky friends did about souls and magic, the thought came crashing down like a thunderbolt upon his brown-haired head.

_This isn't good._

"Mokuba…" he sharply said, rising to his feet. "Answer me. Why did you come up here?"

The young boy's lips never parted to speak.

"Mokuba!" Kaiba shouted a nervousness firing from deep within him that he tried so desperately to disregard. "Say something! Answer me!"

"Don't get so upset, Priest Seto." Kaiba's eyes darted to the open entrance, where he could see a woman approaching him. She walked into the room gracefully, as if with purpose, her long, flowing black hair swirling like menacing eels behind her. The red-tipped ends of her moving locks contrasted against the whiteness of her ivory gown; it tightly hugged her tan body. Covered with rich gold jewelry, the stranger's glowing crimson eyes bore a hole into Kaiba's as she moved herself next to his brother. "He won't be able to answer you unless I tell him to."

Kaiba growled, full of rage. The woman snickered amused by his anger as she brought her hand up to pat Mokuba's lifeless head. He made no response to her gestured. "Thanks to Moki here, I found the person I was looking for."

"Don't you dare call him that!" Kaiba yelled, his temper burning his rationality away. "What have you done to him!"

The strange woman chuckled at Kaiba's fury; letting her delicate fingers grace Mokuba's forehead lightly. As her hand moved away, the blue symbol of the Millennium Eye burned upon his skin: Kaiba bared his teeth, remembering how Marik had used that symbol on his "mind slaves".

"Oh, nothing really," the woman mused playfully, walking past Mokuba's shell of a body towards Kaiba. "At least nothing as bad as I will do to you."

Though a tingle of fear crept up Kaiba's neck, he never showed it. "Hmph! And just what would that be?" A glint of darkness sparkled in the blood-stained orbs that stared back at him. She raised her left hand upwards, her palm facing Kaiba so that he could see the blue imprint of the Millennium Eye on it. The corners of her mouth slid up, inducing a malevolent smile.

"You'll see, Priest Seto; you'll see." The entire office was washed away in a sea of blue light as the symbol on her hand activated. Kaiba felt frozen in the light's grasp, unable to move or look away; a burning sensation overtook Kaiba's head, and in a second's time, the world seen through Kaiba's cerulean eyes to black.

---

Author's Note: _Well, now Kaiba's gone, so who's next on the list? You'll just have to read and find out!_


	7. Foreboding Premonitions

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Okay, well, Kaiba's gone, Atemu's in the afterlife, and there is one possessive lady running around is about to wreak some serious havoc on the city of Domino. But enough about that! Let me get on with this thing!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 7: Foreboding Premonitions…. **

The school bell rang loud and clear, announcing the end of yet another school day. Tidal waves of energetic teens crowded the main doorway out of Domino High, pouring onto the sidewalks and retreating back to their homes. Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Anzu were one of the last few people to leave, being smart enough to wait for the rest of the swarm to have already been dismissed. The sun sparkled like yellow canary diamond in the sapphire sky, and Anzu let its celestial warmth surround her like a blanket.

Besides the odd event in Anzu's geometry class, nothing else unusual happened that could have been referred to as "strange", other than whatever was used to make the food in the cafeteria. The day went by without incident, leaving Anzu to wonder if there was anything to really worry about.

_If there was something serious, wouldn't Atemu be ringing the warning bells like crazy right now?_

She pondered the thought for a moment as the group made its way along the labyrinth of sidewalks, roads, and neighborhoods. Red and gold leaves teasingly danced through the streets with the autumn wind, chasing into one another as they moved along; tree branches waved about in a carefree way, their remaining leaves dangling in the breeze for the right time to fall. The serene feeling of the autumn afternoon left Anzu's nerves a little less scrambled and antsy, despite her constant contemplation on the subject at hand, while the rest of the gang held lively conversations or something Anzu couldn't decipher. Finally, she snapped awake from her mind and rejoined Yugi and the others.

"So Yug, ya wanna duel later? I've been itchin' to have a good duel for so long it's killin' me!" Joey said as he nudged Yugi's arm pleadingly.

"Yah, I think we should today", Yugi replied. "I don't have much homework, and knowing you, Joey, you won't do yours!"

"That's true!" Joey laughed.

"Why do ya wanna duel Yugi for?" Tristan asked Joey. "He's the King of Games now, so he can really kick your sorry ass now-"

"Shaddup already!" Joey whacked Tristan behind the head with a closed fist. "What happened to cheering me on in my duels, like you used to?"

"Hey man, I only speak the truth."

"Oh yah? Well I've got some truth for ya, right here in my fist-"

"Joey, calm down." Yugi grabbed the blonde's outstretched arm before it could reach a sarcastically scared Tristan. "He's only joking, you know that."

Reluctantly Joey brought down his arm and sighed. "Yah, you're right Yug. Besides, there's no point in wasting my breath on him."

Tristan shrugged. "Whatever, man. I don't want your smelly breath anyways."

"Oh, you're askin' for it!" Yugi held Joey back as the rambling blonde struggled to maul Tristan into the asphalt. Anzu smiled innocently at their crazed fights and arguments; within their brutality she could see their friendship blossom and flourish like a rich sunflower in the summer sun's glow. Lately she has started to feel apart from the close-knit trio, their happiness and youthful spirits pushing her depressed heart away. Only Yugi seemed to truly understand, but even then she had her doubts on whether to believe him or not as he jumped playfully onto Joey's back as Joey beat the crap out of Tristan.

"_If you get any more messages from Atemu or anything strange happens, just call me up, okay?" _Yugi's voice echoed about in Anzu's mind uncertainly, but she knew it would be the only thing she could do in the event of a warning.

_I can always count on Yugi._

"Hey Anzu, isn't this the corner you turn on?" Anzu wheeled around to see Yugi mysteriously beside her, now somehow separated from the massive beat down going on behind them. She blushed in surprise; looking ahead of her, she could she that this was the street corner that their small group of four split up into three and one. While Anzu's cozy suburban home sat on one side of Domino, the rest of the gang lived more within the city depths, close to each other but all far from Anzu.

"Yeah, it is." She winked at Yugi. "I guess I better get going then."

"Anzu, wait!" The brunette turned to see Yugi follow her for a second, then stop in the middle of the road. He appeared anxious in a way, and it frightened Anzu.

"Yugi? Something wrong?"

"I just got this strange feeling. Something isn't right, and I can sense it." Anzu's breathing stiffened as she wondered what he meant.

"Are you sure?" _Why is he telling me this?_ He nodded solemnly.

"I'm sure alright. Just remember, if anything strange does happen call me. We can't risk anything happening to any of us, especially since Atemu's not here to protect us." The mention of the pharaoh's name brought discomfort to Anzu's already distraught mind; just the thought of the world being in danger without Atemu to help save it made her nervous.

"I promise Yugi. Don't worry about me too much." Anzu's words didn't do much to relieve her friend of his fears either. He smiled at her weakly.

"And I promise I'll be there if something goes wrong. You can count on it." With that, Yugi walked away from Anzu, back towards the city of Domino. Anzu watched him stride back to Joey and Tristan, who were just getting exhausted from beating each others' brains in.

"I'm gonna SO kill you!"

"Chill out man! It was a joke!"

The schoolgirl laughed to herself as she watched her best friends escape from her view behind the corner, with Joey giving Tristan a kick in the shin; Yugi glanced back at her as he made the turn, giving her a fleeting smile as he disappeared. Anzu's heart ached desperately.

_A smile of reassurance_...

Little did Anzu know that that was the last time she would see Yugi smile her by his own will.

---

The streets never-ended in Domino City and one could easily lose their way if they are not careful. Luckily for Yugi, he went through the alleyways of Domino all the time to and from Anzu's house, so he felt no fear of getting lost and trapped alone.

"Anzu…." Yugi knew that lying to her wasn't right, but he felt the need to do so despite his guilt; not only had he felt the overwhelming sensation of danger stir within him, but a short vision had come also. The scenes shown to Yugi were both random and strange, but it was far into them that Yugi learned not to resist the changing images and simply watch them occur in his mind's eye.

Many of the scenes Yugi saw involved men and boys, all going to the same place, always on the same path; he wouldn't have thought much about it save the fact that a blue version of the Millennium Eye shined on each of their foreheads. Yugi knew that the symbol of the Millennium Eye on a person's forehead was a representation of Malik and the control he used over his slaves with the Millennium Rod, and at first Yugi guessed that the Marik would return and take over the world again after the Pharaoh's death; the color blue, however, spoke otherwise. Yugi had never seen the Millennium Eye symbol glow blue before, because normally it was always gold, and that pushed Malik and Marik out of the picture.

Other images of chaos and destruction were given to Yugi, and they all disturbed him greatly; by the end, though, there was only one that truly frightened the teen to tell Anzu of the strange sensation. It was the very last image sent to him, the very last one that he needed to see. In it, he saw Anzu falling to the ground at the hands of a woman in the shadows, and a little farther back he saw Atemu's body lying upon a small platform. Terror had instantly welled up in Yugi's already fragile heart.

_Anzu's in danger! And so is Atemu!_

Though it would have been important for Anzu to know this piece of information, Yugi thought it better not to scare Anzu more than she already was. _She already has so much on her mind. I don't want to stress her out more. _Still, Yugi wondered if he had done the right thing for Anzu by not telling her, and if she would be better off not knowing the fate that awaits her….

"Hey Yug, somethin' wrong buddy?" Joey's voice was the rope that pulled Yugi from his sorrows; he looked up at the blonde. "You're not talking much."

Yugi shook his head. "No Joey, I'm okay." The blonde looked at him oddly, as if trying to see past the lie.

"I don't believe you", Joey said, "but if you say so, I'll trust you on this one."

"Thanks, Joey."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Joey glared at Tristan. "Besides being there to insult me?"

"Joey, ya know that compared to Yugi, you're pretty much in second place." Tristan had to explain. Joey bought none of it.

"And now you try to lie ta me!" The argument heated up again, to Yugi's dismay. They rounded the next corner almost close to the Kame Game Shop, when Yugi noticed a woman rounding the corner on the other side of the street; she kind of looked like Ishizu, with the tight white dress, dark tan skin, long black hair, and lots of gold jewelry, so much so that Yugi was about to wave and tell her how cool it was to give them a surprise visit, but something topped him in his tracks instead.

"Yo Yug, what's up?" Both Joey and Tristan halted behind Yugi, their bickering forgotten as their friend stopped in fright. Unable to get a response from him, the two looked up ahead to see what he was so transfixed by; they looked up to see the odd woman, also assumed that it was Ishizu, but as she neared closer they could see that they were wrong. The sends of the mystery woman's hair were a dark red, as dark as blood, as well as her demonic eyes. Undetectable to Joey or Tristan, Yugi could also sense a dark aura around the strange figure before them; something cold and evil that sent a shiver up his neck. Her smile curled so malevolently, her presence so submerged in darkness, Yugi could only guess that this was the evil that Atemu had been warning them about.

"Who's that?" Yugi heard Joey breathe behind him; a protective urging overwhelmed Yugi, and he stepped forward to face the stranger.

"Who are you! Why are you here!" The woman's grimace grew, her eyes flashing full of destruction. She hummed a laugh softly as her body stopped in front of them. Yugi's heart pounded fast as her smile bared teeth that were sharp and carnivorous.

"That, dear boy, is no longer your concern." Her left hand was raised out in front of her, the palm of it facing Yugi, Joey, and Tristan. It was at the moment that Yugi had to stifle a gasp as he saw the familiar Millennium Eye symbol burn in blue upon her dark flesh. The world around them turned sapphire, and then it all went black.

---

Author's Note: _Well, now things are getting interesting. I'm enjoying this a lot. Until the next chapter, then! R x R please!_


	8. Supernatural Warnings

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Well, I'd like to thank one of my precious reviewers for informing me about enabling my anonymous reviews. Now I can have even more reviews come to me on a weekly basis! Remember, I REALLY like reviews, so I want them often(or at least as often as possible, since I'm very needy when it comes to praise)and they can be very long! Tell me about what you thought was cool, or what confused you, or tell me about your day…I don't know just give me something! I'm a starving author who really like readers who REVIEW!(Sorry, I am very pushy, but I just love every word you guys sent me cause you guys out there are so nice…)._

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics, and maybe other things but I haven't given it much thought._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 8: Supernatural Warnings and then some…**

The house was dark and quiet as Anzu entered inside; silence loomed in every corner as the young teen released the keys from the front doorknob and slammed it behind her. The house was all hers this afternoon, but today she didn't feel pleased in the empty rooms; shadows darted about every wall, her steps creaking underneath her by way of the old floorboards. Every so often, Anzu had to glance behind her, sensing a cold breath on her neck or a shadow sneak up out of the corner of her eye. No longer was the home she grew up in warm and inviting, but cold and forbidding, like a tomb.

_Maybe a shower would make me feel better._

Glowing brightly with an overhead light, the bathroom nearly blinded Anzu with its reflective white floor tiles and walls. Shedding off her school uniform and turning on the hot water, Anzu gladly entered the shower and let the shower head press water all over her nervous body. The flow of steam and water around Anzu calmed her slightly, allowing her to relax after the stress of worrying over Atemu; inhaling steam into her lungs, the teen ran her fingers through her soaking hair, the waterfall of water running down her back.

_Now I can finally have a moment of peace_, she thought as she turned towards the massaging blast of water, her face bathed in its warm caress. All Anzu could hear was the sound of the water raining down on the floor, the steam hissing towards the ceiling-

"_Anzu._" Her sapphire eyes opened as the silent moment was broken. Through the haze and her clear shower curtain, Anzu could see the shadow of someone standing by the bathroom vanity, but then vanished out of sight. Moments passed before Anzu dared to look away, her eyes attached to the spot in case the shadow returned, but it did not, and she also had to inhale all of a sudden; she was so frightened that she had held her breath.

Anzu turned off the shower head, the remaining water dripping lazily from it to the slick tub floor below. She toweled herself off quickly, afraid to stay in the bathroom too long; the mirror above the vanity was too foggy for Anzu to clearly see herself in, so to compromise she reached out for the hand towel by the sink so that she could wipe away the moisture. She gasped instead, her eyes forced to gaze upon the misty mirror; on it, a message was scribbled by hand for her:

"_Grave danger ahead. Leave now!_" the mirror read as Anzu's eyes finally removed themselves from the glass. Her heart pounded inside her chest, ready to burst as nervousness crept up her skin, making her hair stand on end. She ran to her room, throwing on a clean outfit consisting of a black turtleneck shirt and a pink skirt before heading for the phone.

"Atemu's warning me again", she said to herself as she dialed Yugi's number. "The danger must be closer now. If only he were here." Pressing the ear piece against her ear, Anzu could hear Yugi's phone ringing once, twice, three times over. No one was answering; Anzu was about to have a nervous breakdown when she finally heard Yugi pick up on the other end.

"Hello?" Yugi's voice sounded oddly calm and robotic on the phone, but Anzu was too fanatic to notice the change.

"Yugi, thank God it's you!" she cried. "I just got another warning from Ate4mu! He wrote it on my mirror after I took a shower. It said 'Grave danger ahead. Leave now!' and I'm scared over here. I don't know what to do!"

There was a strange pause before Yugi spoke to respond. "Why not come over to my house, Anzu? We can talk about it over here."

"Oh, thanks, Yugi. I don't know what I'd do without you! See you there!" Anzu hung up, too anxious to finally leave her house and talk to someone about the messages. Grabbing her house keys and a pair of knee-high white boots, Anzu left her home and ran into the cool autumn sunset.

---

A few seconds after Anzu had cut off their conversation, Yugi placed his phone back in the receiver. A smile should have crossed his face at the thought of coming to his house, but he wore no expression as he stood silently by the phone on the counter; Kame Game Shop was dark and desolate, save the glow of the blue Millennium Eye symbol upon his forehead, and a pair of red eyes nest to him. The woman with the crimson orbs grinned playfully as she stroked her fingers through Yugi's hair, and the other hand clicked impatiently on the glass counter as she waited for the arrival of Anzu Mazaki

---

Author's Note: _Alright, I'm sure that you can all imply on what's comin' next: that's right, it's gonna get action packed and tear jerking! But that's another chapter; the next one will involve bringing back someone who we all love to hate and love to love. See you all soon! _


	9. Enter the Thief

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _ Now, I know that some of you HATE cliff hangers, but you're gonna have to get used to it if you're gonna read my stuff (and now I oddly sound like Joey). Well, as the title says, I will be bringing Bakura into this little fray, and we all know that when he gets into a mess he makes it al the more…Bakura-ish! Well, enjoy!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics, as well as conversations between a hikari and a yami._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 9: Enter the Thief**

Sunset was just appearing over the horizon as Ryou Bakura finished his homework. The day had been rough for the white-haired teen, not just in school but inside of him as well; it was the secret self that he tried to hide, but his attempts were usually futile compared to the strength of the evil spirit within him. Today, however, things were quieter than normal. Now Ryou was fighting the urge to find out what was going on.

Ryou Bakura was a student at Domino High, and had ties to the famed Yugi Moto and all of his friends; he had become the beloved crush of many girls in his school, to his dismay. It was learned later, though, that he had much more in common with Yugi than he let on, for both boys had a Millennium Item in their possession. While Yugi had the Millennium Puzzle, which contained the spirit of the mysterious Pharaoh who went by the name of Yami, Ryou had the Millennium Ring, and held within the dream-catcher like pendant was the even more mysterious Spirit of the Ring, or Yami Bakura. His dark spirit caused problems for the group many times in his rivalry against the Pharaoh, his desire being that he wanted to defeat Yami and gain all seven Millennium Items for his own selfish needs. He failed at each attempt, however, and was now only another spirit inside of Ryou Bakura's body.

It was only a week earlier that Anzu informed Ryou of the Pharaoh-now named Atemu- and his leaving for the afterlife; even so, Ryou had already heard about it from his roommate, Yami Bakura. Ever since that day, Ryou noticed that his somewhat-companion was much quieter than normal. The teen assumed that the dark spirit inside of him would dive head first at the opportunity to try and control the world after the Pharaoh's demise, but he was oddly mistaken. A week later, and no sign of any changes, Ryou reluctantly summoned forth the Spirit of the Ring to find out about his dormant behavior.

_Hm? What is it? Why are you summoning me?_ Ryou rarely did bring forth the evil spirit on his own accord, grateful that the dark spirit wasn't using his body to wreak havoc on innocent people. His moody temper and the edge in his voice were no surprise to Ryou at all, but it still made him uncomfortable to even speak with the Spirit of the Ring. _I don't wish to be bothered now._

"I just want to know why you're all clammed up, that's all." This was the first time Ryou was actually having a sane conversation with his dark half, except for the first time they spoke to each other. Otherwise the time they did spend talking to each other consisted of Bakura suppressing his host into the back corners of his mind while he took the steering wheel. Bakura looked up at his worried host, annoyed.

_Why do you care? _He asked sharply, his demonic brown eyes glaring. _I thought that you, of all people, would be happy that I have locked myself up in your miserable body._

"Actually, I'm not." Ryou didn't believe he was really saying that; it was a total lie and he was very joyful that Bakura had receded from his life for a little while. "This isn't like you and I want to know why. Now."

Bakura's ungrateful frown turned into a delicious grin, almost like that of the Cheshire cat in Alice and Wonderland. _You're not one to be curious, Ryou. That isn't like you at all either. Tell me why you are so intrusive, and perhaps I'll say why I'm so 'unlike' myself._

"You already know why I'm asking about you. Stop playing games with me, Spirit." Ryou could feel a tingle of rage simmer inside of him.

_Silly fool. I can play as many games as I desire. _Bakura let his fingers slid across a Duel Monsters card that had mysteriously appeared in his hand. _And if you must know, I can sense that a dark presence has emerged after the Pharaoh's death. If it wasn't for that, I would be trying to find the Pharaoh's tomb and steal his stuff or something like that, but I can assume that this new evil will be after all of that soon enough. I'm just bidding my time._

Something didn't seem right with Bakura's confession, or at least to Ryou it didn't. "You're lying."

_Am I? Or are you just not pleased with my answer? Did you want something more dramatic, perhaps?_

"Spirit, you have taken refuge within my body for the longest time. You've nearly destroyed me, my friends, and life itself several times, and yet you insist on doing it again. I think I have every right to know what you're up to."

A silent moment stood between the two, and then Bakura erupted into an evil laugh. Ryou frowned, insulted. _You think **you** have the right to intrude into my affairs? Ryou, the only right you have I to be my obedient vessel! _He stood up, now amused by his host's rebellion. _Allow me to demonstrate-_

Silence. Ryou had his eyes screwed shut, and had backed away from his dark half about five feet before he realized that something was amiss. Opening his eyes, the teen saw Bakura looking away from him, his eyes stricken with terror. Seeing that the threat failed to follow through, Ryou sighed in relief, but now had a bigger problem at hand. "What's wrong?"

_I can sense her. She has returned. _Bakura said without looking towards his host. He seemed to be talking more to himself than to Ryou. _It has begun._

"What are you talking about?" Bakura's eyes shot up towards Ryou, and he spoke as if he hadn't heard the question.

_Who is that girl who hangs out with Yugi Moto? _Ryou was speechless for a few moments, not expecting the Spirit of the Ring to ask him that.

"Do you mean Anzu Mazaki?" There was another paused moment, to Ryou's dismay.

Finally, Bakura responded. _We need to go, now! _Before Ryou could object, the dark spirit overtook his body and charged out of his apartment and down to the street, where his motorcycle-which Bakura had stolen from one of Ryou's bullies a week ago- was parked. He put the helmet over his head, and rode into the sunset, never looking back.

_Where are we going! _A frightened Ryou asked within his mind to the controller of his body. _What are you doing!_

"I'm going to find Anzu Mazaki."

---

Author's Note: _Alright! Now we got Bakura and Kaiba mysteriously swirled into this, and we have yet to see what happens to Anzu and the gang! Hope I don't keep you waiting too long on the next chapter! _


	10. Trapped

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _You know what? I just learned about the wonder of forums! They are very cool and I can't wait to read more of them! Now I can talk to other people about Yu-Gi-Oh! instead of just my sister! Yes!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics, and that's about it._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 10: Trapped…**

It was nearly dark as Anzu rounded the last few turns on her way to the Kame Game Shop. Her breathing quickening by the second, the brunette had no plans on slowing down, her legs running on her fear of what was to come. Autumn winds sliced into her bare legs, and the heels of her boots made her feet ache; still she ran on, hoping to reach the Kame Game Shop before her legs gave out from exhaustion. Finally she saw Yugi's house up ahead.

Unlike most of the times Anzu had come to Yugi's home in the evening, the Kame Game Shop was dark and deserted; it was as if no one was inside at all. Not a single light sparkled from the windows, and yet the "Open" sign was still attached to the glass doorway, waiting to be flipped over to tell people that the store was closed. Puzzled, Anzu pressed her face against the glass to see if anyone was inside, and to her surprise the door instantly creaked open at her touch. Though now Anzu wished that she stayed home, away from the possibilities of finding the new dark threat Atemu told her about, the mere thought of Yugi in danger pushed her forward, inside the empty shop.

It took a few moments for Anzu's blue eyes to adjust to the darkness of the store; as she looked around, Anzu saw that everything remained the same. Nothing unusual screamed at Anzu, telling her to beware, other than the fact that the door was left open and there were no lights on. To her dismay, the light switch refused to work, leaving Anzu no choice but to wander through the shop alone, and in the dark.

"Hello?" Anzu asked into the stagnate air, her voice echoing slightly. "Yugi, are you home?" She received no response.

_Where are you, Yugi?_

"I am here, Anzu." Anzu turned abruptly towards the staircase that led up to Yugi's bedroom. Almost in answer to Anzu's question, Yugi was standing halfway on the stairs, staring down at her with cold, purple eyes. It was too dark for Anzu to really make out Yugi's face, but a gut feeling surged into her thoughts; she felt something different about Yugi, something strange… Anzu dismissed the thought and ran to the staircase.

"Yugi, you had me scared there for a second!" Anzu walked up the stairs, hoping to catch her breath after the running and wild assumptions. "I almost thought that-" Anzu could see Yugi as she slowly approached him, and as she neared him her heart began to pound hard inside her chest like a warning bell; she knew then that something was wrong. "Are… are you okay, Yugi?" Her friend merely stared at her, resembling a statue as his blank amethyst eyes bore into her azure ones. Finally he spoke in am unemotional tone of voice, like a robot.

"Come upstairs, Anzu. There are things we must discuss." He turned in one swift motion, back towards his bedroom door, his legs lightly trudging up to it. Bewildered by Yugi's actions, Anzu felt that she had no choice but to follow. Each step she took Anzu could hear a voice behind her, begging her to flee, to run, to leave.

"_Anzu, don't do this!_" The disembodied voice begged.

_I can't leave now. Something's not right with Yugi, and I have to find out what. _With that, Anzu entered the Darkness that was Yugi's room, following him into the shadows, before finding entangled in the hold of two men, and at the mercy of her former friend.

---

The complete opposite to the previous night, the Domino Museum was filled with light and overall noise. Police cars surrounded the building all day long, never letting any of the disappointed tourists or over-anxious media reporters in. Within its concrete walls, the police chief of the city of Domino was standing inside the security guard office, his expression one of disbelief. He was watching the video surveillance from the previous night as it replayed in a loop, constantly showing the same images. One minute the security guard for the late night shift was standing near one of the exhibits, reading the board over it and the next- the room was completely empty, as if the young man had disappeared. The image once again repeated itself, and the chief took a closer inspection of the sarcophagus that the guard had been examining; just before the guard vanished, a hand crawled out a crack between the lid and bottom of the coffin, as if it had been pushed open. The police chief's mouth fell open.

_A mummy! What in blazes-_

The sudden ringing of his cell phone interrupted his shock. Clearing his throat, he flipped open his cell and placed it to his ear. "Yamamoto speaking."

"What's going on at the museum?" A foreign female voice asked. Yamamoto grinned.

""Everything's alright, Ms. Ishtar. I know that as the curator of Domino Museum, and as a part of the Egyptian government, you have every right to be worried." His optimistic attitude failed to bring a welcoming response from his caller; the grin slid off his whiskered face.

"How is the investigation going, Mr. Yamamoto?"

"We're working on it, but so far things aren't going too well. The security guard in charge last night was found curled up in the surveillance room, apparently in shock and speaking in all this gibberish. We found an open sarcophagus at the crime scene, and it appears that the mummified body inside was stolen. Strange thing is, though, the glass encasing the mummy and its sarcophagus wasn't broken at all, so there was no way for the thief to have opened the thing and removed the mummy." Yamamoto failed to inform the curator about what he recently saw on the tape, fearing that she would take him for a liar, and to top it off, this was official police business that he was giving away, though not without a nice payoff in the end. There was an odd pause on the line before she answered him back.

"Mr. Yamamoto, I am requesting that your men leave the museum immediately. I'm on my way from the airport as we speak, so I will take over with the investigation from there."

"Ms. Ishtar, I assure you that we have everything secure and that there is no need to-"

"I'm afraid that I have not made myself clear. Please dismiss your men and yourself. If you refuse, then wait for me to arrive in about fifteen minutes. We can discuss this matter later." The woman hung up, and the cell phone stayed silent for a moment before Yamamoto finally clicked it off.

---

Author's Note: _I don't have much to say today, but I will say that I do love all my reviewers, and that you are all wonderful people. Until the next update, then!_


	11. To Leave My Friends Behind

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _I'm being swamped with school projects do to (yes, I am in high school), so I've been a little busy. Getting these fanfic chapters out on a regular basis can really take it out of you! But it's all worth it once the chapter gets out there and my readers read it and review! Yes, that's what I live for nowadays (that and cookie dough. Umm…cookie dough…drool)._

#2 Author's Note: _Thoughts are in italics._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 11: To Leave My Friends Behind…**

Crimson eyes hidden in the dark shadows of the room, the mysterious woman grimaced in anticipation. Staring ahead of her, she could see the form of the girl struggling against the hold of her mind slaves.

"You're fighting is futile, dear girl. You're better off chewing away at your arms til they come loose." Anzu glanced up to see who spoke in the blinding dark. It was a female voice, but not one she recognized; in the hectic atmosphere she was in Anzu wouldn't have been surprised if she were hearing things. She tried to grasp her captors' arms, hoping to pry herself from them, but neither of her arms could move for they were bound quite tightly by the two men. Sweat forming on the back of her neck, Anzu tried her head toward her sides.

_Who are these guys? Why are they doing this?_

Her eyes barely able to see in the shadows, Anzu peered at the faint form standing next to her, keeping her still. Suddenly the misty veils that had clouded her vision lifted, and she could see the person to her right. Anzu gasped.

"Joey!" she screamed. Anzu's head wheeled to the left. "Tristan! Why in the world are you doing this!"

"They are doing this because I commanded them to", replied the female voice again, so loud and distinct that Anzu knew someone else was in the room, directly in front of her, though hidden from her sight.

Who are you! What have you done to my friends!" Anzu's frightened response produced a malicious cackle from the unseen stranger. Anzu bared her teeth, angered.

"Inquisitive, aren't we?" A tall, dark figure began to move across Yugi's bedroom, staying just out of reach. "I must say, you're quite the handful, Anzu Mazaki." The mention of her name gave Anzu chills.

"H-How do you know who I am?"

Another laugh from the shadows flooded the room with its evil. "Your little friends told me. Joey, Tristan…oh, and let's not forget little Yugi."

Now both rage and fear stirred within Anzu like a lethal storm. "Where is Yugi! Where are you keeping him!"

"Why, he's right here, with me." Finally, the mystery woman appeared out of the dark abyss, with Yugi next to her. As if by command, the room became lighter, the atmosphere turning into that of twilight; Anzu could see Yugi's bed, his desk, and everything else in his room. The curtains were drawn around Yugi's window, refusing to allow any enter, and the door that led back towards the staircase was shut tight.

Now within Anzu's sight, the woman than her voice had let on; she almost resembled Ishizu with her long black hair, tight white dress that reached down to her ankles, and her darkly tan skin. The crimson eyes that glared back, however, told a different story; the black hair tipped with red as dark as blood, the woman's evil grin showed Anzu the dark spirit that was housed within.

To the left of the woman Anzu saw Yugi standing beside, his face expressionless and his eyes only gaping purple orbs. Glancing once again at Joey and Tristan, Anzu could see that they too wore this dead appearance, their eyes staring straight ahead into space; the woman smiled at Anzu's sudden awareness.

"Please allow me to introduce myself to you, peasant. I am Samira, Princess of Ancient Egypt, and the soon-to-be future queen of this world. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, little Anzu." The wickedness in her voice spited her polite greeting like wine on a white blouse; the mere sound of her speaking made Anzu cringe.

"What have you done to my friends!"

Samira snickered tastefully. "It's amazing what a little mind control can do", she mused as she stroked Yugi's hair, his lifeless body never moving to object. From underneath his blonde bangs Anzu could see what appeared to be the symbol of the Millennium Eye, but it strangely glowed blue. "As you can see, I can control any male human that I desire. Boys, men… all I have to do is show them the symbol of the Millennium Eye, evoke my mind control, and they all become my pawns for as long as I wish. Such obedient little servants they do make-"

"Let them go!" Anzu cried as she struggled with all her might against her former friends' grasp; having Samira control them seemed to make them as strong and unmoving as steel. "If you want me, I'll go with you, but please release my friends!"

"Tsk, tsk. I can't do that, little Anzu. Why should I give up three perfectly good mind slaves such as these? Besides, I already have you now, so bargaining won't help you." Backing up slightly, Samira placed something in Yugi's hands; she brought her left hand up to aim at the spiky-haired teen, the blue Millennium Eye hissing full of potential power. "Nor will it ever help you again. Yugi, please take care of our guest for me, will you?"

Anzu stifled a gasp, startled. "Yu-Yugi?" Her former friend failed to answer her verbally; instead the blue Millennium Eye on his forehead glowed brightly in unison with Samira's blue Eye. Yugi gripped the object that his master had given him forcefully, and it was then that Anzu saw what it was.

A dagger.

"Yugi, please, don't do it!" He advanced upon her slowly, each step mindfully performed and completely controlled by Samira. He could no longer hear her. "You can't? I know you wouldn't! You can fight her Yugi! You can!"

Another step closer. "Yugi, fight her off!"

Two more steps. "I know you don't want to hurt me!"

Samira giggled at Anzu's dismay. "Oh poor child, don't you understand yet? Even if little Yugi doesn't want to kill you, it's not like he has a choice! I'm calling the shots here!" In an instant the Millennium Eye on her palm blasted full of light, radiating like a star in the twilight room. "No more stalling, my servant! Finish her off!"

"Yugi, we made a promise! You said that you would be there for me if something happens! Don't you remember?" Anzu's memory faded back to the moment before they parted, the last moment before Yugi was taken by Samira; Yugi's sweet humble voice echoed in her thoughts: "_And I promise I'll be there if something goes wrong. You can count on it._" Tears welled up in her cerulean eyes as the memory pulsed inside her; Yugi apparently didn't remember, because he kept on moving towards her, although more slowly now. "Remember!"

"DIE, ANZU MAZAKI!" Samira screeched, her voice increasing in strength. The knife as now raised up to confront Anzu's neck as Yugi made the final steps before the kill.

"Yugi, no!" Anzu felt the tears rain off her face, her lip quivering as she spoke. Shutting her eyes tight, her voice could only manage a whisper from the choking despair within. She could hearYugi breathe, the knife just touching her bare neck. "Please, no…."

"An… zu…." The knife was pulled away, shakily leaving Anzu's neck. Her eyes flashed open to see Yugi fighting to move the knife away, his body shaking and working against the command of Samira. Anzu expected to feel the warm flow of blood grace down her neck, but she was grateful that she skin didn't feel at all wounded. No blood dripped lazily off the blade.

"Y…Yugi?"

"An…zu…you have to…get away… now!" Yugi's mouth barely opened as he spoke, winces of pain inserted into his sentences. His right hand held back the left arm, which was the one that held the unused dagger; like a puppet resisting the pull of his strings, Yugi convoluted and shook violently, his amethyst eyes filled with pain. "Run… please!" Before I… hurt… you!"

"Yugi, I have to free you! I can't go without you, and Joey and Tristan!" Her voice was choked with sadness as she watched her friend wither against Samira's might. "I can't leave you with her!"

"Don't… worry… about me! I'll… be fine… just go… help the Pharaoh!"

"How dare you defy me, mind slave!" Samira's crimson eyes sparkled with rage as she spoke. "No male can resist my power! Now follow through with your command, and rid your master of this annoyance!" As if her words were bullets, Yugi screamed in agony at each syllable as her anger grew in strength. Anzu's heart jumped out of her chest, losing hope.

"YUGI!"

"Uh… Anzu… please go!" Yugi's nails were digging into his left arm, still trying to hold back the blood-thirsty knife. "If you stay… I'll kill you… please don't let me do that to you!"

"Do it now!" The Millennium Eye flooded the room with its piercing blue light, Samira's power escalated by her sudden fury. A powerful gust of wind spiraled around the room, sending her hair into a frenzy behind her; she resembled a demonic angel in the spotlight of her power. "Do as I COMMAND!"

"NO!" Yugi's body became immersed in the flooding light now pouring from his forehead around him. His body straighter than a telephone pole, he screamed as Samira's full fury surged through him. Anzu pulled with all her might to save Yugi, but Joey and Tristan held steady fast to the floor, unfazed. The blazing light show reached its dramatic peak, the finished product a once-again darkly-lit room; Anzu thought that she must have blinked and missed the ending, because the light faded away into nothing so fast.

Yugi still stood before her, the dagger still in his left hand; his body lifeless, his head bent over as if he were unconscious or dead, but after a second of silence Yugi straightened himself up, like a puppet with its strings being pulled back up to play.

"Yu-Yugi? Are you… there?" Anzu's cracked full of emotion as she watched him arise. Just as before, his eyes were vacant purple orbs, almost s if they had bee painted on his face, and the blue Millennium Eye was unfortunately still on his forehead; however, Anzu was frightened by something else on Yugi's face: a malevolent smile. Bringing the knife back up toward Anzu's neck, a tiny laugh escaped her former friend's throat, the sound a twisted melody of both his voice and Samira's.

"This is the end, Anzu." The dark voice said from within Yugi. Her heart lurched in agony.

"Please, Yugi…." The knife was now gracing her skin, just ready to puncture. ""Please, remember…-"

It all happened in an instant.

All of a sudden, a figure sped through the supposedly locked door, coming up from behind Anzu; ripping her away from Joey and Tristan's arms, the stranger had grabbed Anzu by the hand and pulled her towards the exit just before Yugi's dagger was to slice through her flesh. The world blurred around the frightened girl as she ran down the stairs, the sound of people chasing after them from Yugi's bedroom echoing about the empty game shop. She could hear Samira scream at her mind slaves to pursue them, to find them and kill them, so her legs were willed to run faster into the cold night air; a part of Anzu still wanted to break free of her savior's hand and save Yugi, but she knew that her efforts would be in vain.

_If I go back, Yugi will only try to kill me again. I can't save him, I just… can't!_ _I have to think for myself now. _Anzu's thoughts were soon interrupted as she was directed to sit on the seat of a motorcycle that was parked on the curb across the street from the Kame Game Shop. The person who saved her was yelling at her to sit, and other things, but Anzu couldn't make out his words since he had a helmet with a dark visor covering his entire head. She got the jest of what he saying, though, and got on the bike as he started it up with a roar. They sped off into the crisp autumn darkness, unaware that Samira had many eyes around the city of Domino, now all directed to watch the two of them.

---

Author's Note: _Okay everyone! You can put the Kleenex back now, cause the next few chappies are gonna rock! Hopefully I can get them all out to you guys soon enough, but I can't don't worry! I will always update because of my readers, you can count on it! R x R_


	12. Escaping the Past

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Wow, how many new reviews did I get for that last chapter? About 4? That's pretty sweet! Thanks guys, for all the cool reviews! Just wait til later, though, cause it's about to get way worse (the situation for Anzu, I mean. Not my writing skill. Never that! Oh holy mother of ... if that ever happened I would figuratively **die**…) _

Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics, as well as yami/hikari conversations of the like. Enjoy!_

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 12: Escaping the Past….**

Samira stood in the middle of Yugi's bedroom, watching the world of the night unfold before. She had watched from the window as Anzu and the mysterious person ride into the dark, and she grimaced, disappointed; both Joey and Tristan were sent after them, never once disobeying the will of their master.

_But this one_…. Samira turned to look at the spiky-haired boy before her, his lifeless eyes gazing ahead of him. _This one is different. So strong-willed… just like his yami. I can't risk another failure, so I will wait before to send him out on any operations. _The shadows enveloped the princess like a fog as she approached her mind slave; Samira brought a delicate finger up to touch Yugi's forehead, illuminating the room with its misty blue light of the Eye. _Still, he might prove to be quite useful… once I permanently erase his memories. _

She cackled aloud, and then disappeared into the darkness, with Yugi obediently in tow.

---

Anzu and her savior as far as they could, as fast as they could, never daring to look back; it took a while, but after a time Anzu no longer felt like Joey and Tristan were right on their tail. All seemed to be going well until the motorcycle began to slow down a bit.

"Son of a …", Anzu heard the driver of the motorcycle mumble, though she wasn't sure if that was it since she really couldn't hear him with the motorcycle roaring and his helmet muffling his speech. Before the motorcycle finally ran out of gas, the mysterious guy parked over in an abandoned alleyway, out of sight from anyone- particularly any of Samira's brainwashed servants. He got off the bike, and then walked off into the shadows of the alley before Anzu could even tell him thank you.

_Who was that guy? Why did he save me?_

It only took a second for Anzu to realize then that she was all alone; goose bumps traced her skin with every noise she heard, since any one of those noises could be Joey or Tristan coming to kill her. Fearing for her safety, the brunette reluctantly followed the stranger into the dark.

"Wait! Wait!" Anzu's cries made the guy stop, but he didn't turn around; all the way at the edge of the alley and veiled by the night's shadows, Anzu couldn't see much of him, except that he had removed his helmet and had long flowing hair. Before he could leave her, Anzu quickly ran to catch up with him. "Hey, I need to talk to you!"

Whether it was fate, or a coincidence, his identity was revealed the moment Anzu came within steps of the savoir. Just as he was about to make a run for it, light for a passing car's headlights flooded the small alley in seconds shadowed his from even more. Stunned for a time by the light, he accidentally turned in the wrong direction, straight towards Anzu's incoming form-

THUD! The ground came to meet them both, their bodies tumbling innocently onto the rough asphalt. In the distance Anzu could hear a terrified cat screeching as it bolted from one of the garbage cans, but that was all beyond the moans of pain coming from the person underneath her. Struggling to find a way up off the ground, Anzu could finally see the face of her rescuer-

"Ryou?" The white-haired teen was barely on his knees after his run-in with Anzu; besides a scraped-knee or a bruised arm, he was fairly okay in terms of his physical shape, but mentally he wasn't sure that he was okay at all sane. One moment he was in his room, having an oddly civilized conversation with his dark half, the next he was lying on his back in some filthy alleyway with Anzu on top of him. Considering that Anzu was, for some reason on top of him, or the thought of having a conversation with his yami that did not involve him being stuffed like a suitcase into the back of his mind, were both crazy to begin with, seeing them both occur in one night left him wondering if he had hit his head on something. He expected a large bump under his white hair as he nursed his head, confused.

"Anzu? Oh my… what are you doing here, with me?"

"What? I was going to ask you the same thing, Ryou." Offering her hand, Anzu brought her bewildered classmate to his feet. "I mean, after you saved me and all."

Now Ryou was sure that he had hit his head against something. Or had drugs put in his food… unlikely, but possible. "Did I save you?" Anzu gave him an equally mystified look. "Oh my… if I did, I know nothing of it. I was in my room, talking to the Spirit of the Ring, and then I was here. I don't remember a thing about what happened in between.

"You still have your yami in the Millennium Ring, Ryou?" Anzu glanced down at the gold pendant hanging from his neck, its surface glittering in the celestial moonlight that had only recently appeared from behind a passing cloud. He nodded solemnly.

"Yes, I still do. You would think that he would leave, after the Pharaoh's death, but I suppose not." He sighed. "Some things never die, especially the sour ones." The ring sparkled unnaturally, its dangling fold arms moving about as if insulted by its master's words. Or delighted, whichever came first. "Anyway, I still have him, and it was so ironic that I was actually talking to him earlier-". Ryou stopped short, his breathing suddenly halted. Memories of his dark roommate overtaking his body and running into the sunset erupted from his clouded thoughts. He looked very pale all of a sudden.

"Oh my…."

"Ryou, what's wrong?" The weirdness of the night seemed to be unfolding with the new information all the time, and Anzu was already exhausted from the latest burst of excitement. After all, Ryou wasn't at all the type of person she was expecting in terms of "savior".

"Uh, I can't believe him… my dark half, my yami, must have taken over me earlier and came for you." His kind caramel eyes looked into hers in realization. "I remember now. We were talking about why ha stopped coming out of the ring, and then he just took over my body and rode the motorcycle down the street. The last thing I remember hearing him say was 'I'm going to find Anzu Mazaki'. That's all, though."

Now Anzu was truly mystified; under normal circumstances the mere mention of Yami Bakura made her think of the Shadow Realm, stealing, the dark energy of the Millennium Ring, but adding "hero" to the list made her head spin because of the irony in it.

"Well, do you know why he did that?" Anzu questioned Ryou, doubtful that he even had a clue as to what was going on, but it was worth a shot anyway. "His reason for rescuing me?" Ryou was about to give an answer but a dark, serious voice came from the Millennium Ring instead.

_There's no time for idle chit-chat. At least not until we are in a safer location. Let me handle this, Ryou. _A flash of light blinded Anzu for a second, her eyes shut tight out of habit, and when she opened them again, Bakura stood before her; he had changed much in his appearance, for the blue jeans, light blue jacket, and stripped blue-and white shirt were still the same (though the jacket was billowing a bit more behind him), and his hair might have had an extra lock or two, but nothing had really transformed. Only his eyes did, because they were now sharp, elusive, and held all the cunning of his former self, the King of Thieves. Though she was never usually aware of it, Anzu could feel the different atmosphere around him from the switching of their souls; Anzu could oddly feel darkness flow off him like a mist, and the kind look of Ryou's eyes had been replaced by those of mystery and ancient power. She shivered at the thought that this evil entity actually rescued her from the grasp of Samira and Yugi.

"We need to leave soon", he said. "It won't be long before Samira's minions will come to find you, and staying in one place without an escape vehicle could be dangerous."

"You have a place in mind then. Where we can hide?" Anzu wanted to know about Bakura's plans; if he did have the intention on saving her, perhaps he also had an escape route to some hideout he had. Anzu could think of a couple of places to hide in, like the library , but hearing what the spirit had to say made more sense. He shook his head.

"I was going to ask you about that. I'm sure if we do find a place, it will probably be infested with Samira's servants by now."

"What? Already? We only rode around for fifteen minutes, at most, so how could she do that?" Another question popped into her head shortly after. "And how do you know Samira?"

He paused, as if thinking about how he should answer that. Then he gave her a frown. "I don't think I need answer myself to you on such terms, Anzu. Remember, I did save you, and I can easily leave you here to be found if I feel like it." Silence ruled the moment until Bakura realized how harsh he had sounded, though he was in no position to apologize to the likes of her. He sighed deeply.

"By now, Samira must have gathered at least thirty new servants." Yami Bakura's once-piercing brown eyes were now slightly murky as he stared off to the side. "With all that rage, Samira can create an entire army within a quarter of an hour. And I don't wish to answer your other question. How I know her is irrelevant. What we need to do now is focus on we do now."

"Which is?" The idea of fighting an entire army turned Anzu's stomach, especially if Yugi, Joey, and Tristan were leading it.

"We run. As simple as that. Eventually we will find a hideout, but until that time we can't remain here. It isn't safe to stay in one spot for too long, when we are being hunted so." Almost by cue, the sound of coming footsteps and men talking drew closer to the two; Anzu's head turned to see approaching shadows from the street.

"That's not good." As the shadows moved from the street closer to the garbage cans, Anzu could see their forms clearly, and both of them had a sharp dagger in their hands. Their mumbling also became clear as they drew nearer, and it was to Anzu's fright that she discovered what they were saying. In creepy monotonous chants, they spoke.

"Kill Anzu Mazaki…kill Anzu Mazaki…."

"Come!" Yami Bakura thoughtlessly grabbed Anzu's shaking hand and pulled. "They will kill you if you don't!" The felling of the spirit's hand squeezing hers made Anzu blush for some reason; following behind him, Anzu ran to the end of the alley, away from the mindless murderers behind them. Alerted by the sound of sudden footfall, the mind slaves charged into the alley, attempting to find their prey inside.

"Where are we going!" Anzu shouted, the adrenaline pumping her body surging with each step she took, her breathing too quick for her to even know she had taken one. "Where are we running to!"

Yami Bakura glanced back toward her, determination bright in his eyes, as well as something Anzu knew he was trying to not to show: helplessness. It was then that Anzu knew that the thief was as tired of all this crazy excitement as she was, but he was far more capable at dealing with it than her, despite the fact that she has gone on multiple adventures with Yugi and the guys. He could only must one word, one that didn't give much hope for Anzu, but it was enough to tell Anzu that this was going to be a long night.

"Anywhere", he said.

---

Author's Note: _Can't wait for the next chapter? Neither can I! I'll update soon (hopefully tomorrow), and you'll just have to wait until then. Have a good day (or night) everyone!_


	13. Finding our fortress

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Okay! I actually don't have anything to say today for a change, so… just read! _

#2 Author's Note: _Thoughts are in italics, as well as any flash-back memories._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 13: Finding our fortress….**

The early evening breeze was cool and inviting when Malik Ishtar walked outside the Domino Museum. Car noise was barley audible as the cool wind swept past Malik's ears, the sweet, crisp scent of autumn tickling his nose as he breathed in.

"Nothing like this in Egypt", he said to himself, tasting the mint-like freshness of the air on his tongue; it was traditional for Egypt to be hot and arid, but this season's weather was ridiculous to the blonde. Malik was almost all too happy to feel the sting of a passing gust slice into his bare arms.

After Battle City, everything had stayed very quiet- save Yami Bakura's attempt to destroy the Pharaoh in the Memory World- and that was definitely to Malik's relief; with his dark personality almost succeeding in plummeting the entire world into darkness- until the Pharaoh destroyed him in the Battle City finals- it was to everyone's comfort and joy that now Malik's body was only inhabited by Malik. When Ishizu, Odion, and Malik returned to Egypt, the whitish-blonde haired tomb keeper decided to study the history of the Nameless Pharaoh as a way of repenting for the disastrous events that his dark half had caused upon innocent people; he learned many interesting things, but nothing of the Pharaoh's true name. It was only until after his unfortunate demise that he turned out to be Atemu, which he had heard about from his sister, Ishizu.

"Sister…." Malik was too worried about his sister than of his own affairs this day; though he insisted on it, Ishizu refused to let him take care of the policemen in the museum. It would have made sense for Malik to take care of the situation, considering the fact that he was the one who once held the Millennium Rod.

Though Pharaoh Atemu did relieve him of the cursed object, the power that he had obtained from it still lingered like radiation from a nuclear power plant. Indeed, Malik may just be overly-persuasive naturally, but it seemed too much of a coincidence for "natural causes".

Just like her younger brother, Ishizu Ishtar also kept some of the power of her Millennium Necklace; the golden adornment that had once encircled the Egyptologist's neck infused her the ability to see into the future and the past. The remaining presence of the Millennium Necklace within her is what had brought them to the Domino Museum this night. Malik recalled their conversation before they exited Ishizu's jeep once it was parked outside the museum:

"_So you think that the incident in the Domino is related to the Pharaoh going to the afterlife?" Malik was always curious to understand his sister's odd premonitions of the future; she glanced over at him, her large blue eyes glowing with intensity._

"_I… don't truly know. The vision was very fleeting, not much more than a blur, but a vision nonetheless. I get the feeling that somehow Pharaoh Atemu's death has triggered an ancient force to be reborn, and from the vision I had it does not appear to be good."_

"_What about the Domino police? What have they said?"_

"_Mr. Yamamoto, the chief policeman, told me that his department was already working on the reported 'theft'. I asked him to remove his men but he refused." Ishizu spoke in a distraught tone; Malik began to wonder how much of a hassle getting rid of the local police would be._

"_Sounds dangerous", he replied, his purple eyes looking at Ishizu questioningly. "You can't go in there alone, sister. I'm going with you."_

"_No Malik. It isn't safe for you to go. Stay in the car." Ishizu sighed, the stress of the situation sinking in on top of her. "I'm going in now."_

"_But Sister! You know that I could convince those men to leave without a thought! A word from me and they won't bother us at all! Just let me-"_

"_No Brother!" The sharpness in her voice silenced Malik completely. Realizing her sudden fury, Ishizu calmed her voice down and spoke just above a whisper. "The force in Domino now is drenched in the powers of the Shadow Realm and growing still. It's very strong, and after what happened last time, I would never forgive myself if this new threat took you as your dark self had." Ishizu's serious demeanor did not completely hide her emotions; though she only showed a fragment of it, Malik knew that her true intentions were heart felt. _

"_I understand, Sister." _

Now, twenty minutes later and a good ten police cars gone, Malik could wait knowing that his sister was safe- at least from the cops, that is.

_You're so worried about me that you forget to worry about yourself._

The quiet evening was broken by the sound of pounding footsteps; Malik's eyes darted up towards the sidewalk, where in the heavy shadows of the night two figures were running. Cloaked by the dark, Malik couldn't see his visitors clearly, but it wasn't until after they ran under the glare of the overhead streetlights that they became recognizable.

---

"Anzu!" The brunette stopped running at the sound of her name being called from the distance. It sounded familiar, but she wasn't sure of whom it was yet, until she saw Malik in front of the Domino Museum, waving his bare arms about and a smile on his face. Both she and Bakura ran over to him, climbing up the stone steps in order to greet him. "Hey!"

"Malik? Is that you?" Anzu asked. The blonde-haired teen grinned.

"It is." Malik looked over at the person who accompanied Anzu. "Ryou, you're here too?"

"Try again", he said, exhaustion hissing in each silent breath he took. Malik eyed him, confused, and it took him a moment to realize his mistake.

"Oh, you're the Spirit of the Ring. I thought you left when Pharaoh Atemu passed on." Malik's word sparked some sadness into Anzu's heart, but he didn't seem to really notice, as he was too excited to see his old friends. Yami Bakura grimaced.

"No, I'm still stuck here, unfortunately."

"Well, it's great to see you both. I've missed everyone ever since I left for Egypt." Out of the corner of his eye Malik could see that Anzu was staring off a little into the distance, a dreamy, vague look in her azure eyes. Immediately he sensed that something was wrong. "Hey, how come you guys are running, anyway? Something up?"

"Well… yes… there is…."

Malik was very curious now, desperate to know. "It's okay Anzu, you can tell me."

Anzu, though still upset a little from the fear of dying that she had obtained from continuously running from mindless killers, took a deep breath and began her woeful tale. Malik listened the whole way through, and as the story progressed his expression went from odd wonderment to intense nervousness. Both she and Bakura told him about Samira, the mind slaves, and the situation with Yugi, Joey, and Tristan. By the end of it all, he wanted to lean against the stone walls of the museum for support.

"Whoa", he mumbled, glancing off to the side. "This is bad. Really bad."

"Yes, I think we figured that out, Malik." Yami Bakura said impatiently. "And what we don't know is where we should go to hide from that witch. Any ideas?"

Malik's inner thoughts were already jumping off the wall. Ishizu's premonitions rang aloud in his head, her visions of a new dark entity arriving to cause disaster; if this woman already had Yugi, Joey, and Tristan, who would be her next victim? A shiver crawled up Malik's neck. "Sounds like Ishizu was right about her visions after all", he mumbled to himself.

"Ishizu? Is she here too?" Anzu asked. Malik nodded to answer.

"Yes, she'd here. She's inside the Domino Museum right now, looking into the robbery of one of our exhibits." Looking at Anzu, Malik could see that she was desperately distressed. _How could she not be_, he thought, _considering that her friends now belong to some evil demon? _Turning his gaze to Yami Bakura, he was astonished to see that he was also seemed a bit troubled as well.

"Malik? Can you help us?" Anzu inquired. He realized that he had zoned off on Anzu while she was talking.

"Well, I know nothing of this 'Samira' person that you guys are talking about, but my sister. Do you wanna come inside and ask her with me?"

"Yeah, that might be a good idea, Malik", said Anzu as she approached the automatic glass doors of the museum. Yami Bakura made a move to follow them up the stairs, but stopped short instead. "Coming?"

"Let me switch over to Ryou for now", the dark spirit said, a bit exhausted; his breath released a fogy mist into the frozen air as he sighed heavily from being worn out. The golden light lit up the steps, blinding Anzu and Malik to the point where they had to cover their eyes. When they opened them, Ryou stood before the two; fully enveloped in the overwhelming fatigue that his yami had placed upon his body, he would have stumbled straight into the concrete stairs had it not been for Anzu and Malik catching him at the last moment.

"W-What's going on?" he asked weakly, his chocolate eyes pacing back and forth between Anzu and Malik. "How did I get here? Malik, what are you doing here?"

The purple-eyed teen simply smiled. "I'm here to help. Now let's get you inside."

---

Author's Note: _Yeah! Another chapter down! If you guys don't hear from me til Monday (Eastern Time, cause I live in New Jersey) then don't fret. I'm a bit busy. If I do update before then, well, WOO HOO! See ya then! _


	14. These Memories That Remain

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Sorry about that little wait, guys! I got 43 reviews, so I've been as happy as could be! Oh, and let me first make two things clear: a.) Atemu is NOT coming back for a bit of a while, so stop asking for him! It would ruin the whole plot if he came in too earlier. But don't worry, he will return! And b.) If there is any dueling in this here fanfiction, it will be quite brief and with as much detail as I can muster, which isn't a lot since I never liked trying to narrate a duel anyway. When it comes to YGO, I like the story line and the relationships between characters, not the duels. Frankly, the only reason I like watching the duels is for the back-talk, some exciting new drama to be created,or for a great Kaiba quote. Let's get on with this now, shall we?_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 14: These Memories That Remain….**

Anzu dragged Ryou's almost lifeless body up the stone staircase into the empty museum; though perfectly conscious, Ryou complained that he couldn't feel his legs at all, as if they had gone numb all of a sudden. Anzu could understand how he must have felt, with all the running she had performed this odd night: running to Yugi's place, running to the museum… it was a long and endless affair. Her legs felt like they had turned to stone as she barely pulled herself, as well as Ryou, into the quiet building.

The interior of the Domino Museum was the same as the last time that Anzu had been inside of it: slate-colored floor tiles, slate-colored walls, and a lot of glass cases with gold objects inside. Nothing had really changed, to Anzu's dismay. Walking through the gigantic main hall and the various separate rooms within brought back memories of when she had brought Atemu here to find out about his mysterious past, and that reminded her of the airport store in Egypt where she had bought Atemu his cartouche- her cartouche now. At any random moment it would stir underneath her shirt, making her remember his sweet face, his kind smile, his ancient eyes-

Anzu shook her head sadly; she knew that it would only upset her more to think about Atemu, but it seemed to be a hopeless case when it came to trying to control that desire, for the more she resisted the harder the memories hit her. It was as if she were cursed by his angelic face, haunted by his ever-present voice whispering in her ears: "_Anzu…_" and then no more.

_I wish I knew why this is all happening._

"Anzu, we're going this way!" Malik's voice brought Anzu out of her thoughts; she was surprised to see that she was all the way at the end of the long hallway, with Malik standing back by the automatic doors. He had Ryou on his back, his pale arms dangling uselessly off of Malik's shoulders. "Don't stray too far, otherwise you'll get lost."

"Don't worry, I'm coming." Anzu walked back down the hall, wanting to catch up to her friend, until her eye caught a little gift shop where Egyptian merchandise was being sold; it was closed for the day due to the investigations, the overhead lights beaming on the gold items. At once Anzu saw a group of cartouches hanging off some hooks attached to a wooden post, and the memories surged through her like lightening.

"Atemu…" the brunette whispered as she approached the tiny shop. The necklaces sparkled next to each other, their blank surfaces reflecting the light around them like mirrors. Tempted, Anzu mindlessly reached out to grab one, to pull it towards her, to have in her hand, but then she discovered what she was doing.

"Am I… stealing?" she thought as she stared down at the trembling hand, her wanting fingers still desiring to have that cartouche. Finding it impossible to keep herself away, Anzu realized that she could do only one thing-

"$3.50?" The price tag on the counter didn't lie, so the teen pulled out a five-dollar bill and placed it on the cold glass of the display counter. "Keep the change."

Anzu pulled off the brightest cartouche from the bunch, her fingers gliding over its smooth, golden surface. She still didn't understand why she wanted another necklace, considering that she already had one pulsing quietly against her chest. It called to her in a way, as if this blank cartouche wanted to be with her. Pulling the string over her head, the two necklaces jingled against one another; the sound made Anzu smile.

"Anzu, hurry! Ryou's getting heavy!" Malik was staggering by the automatic doors, his burden slipping off to his right. Devoid of any other distractions, the brunettes ran over to Malik and helped Ryou into a more comfortable position, preventing him from falling in further incidents. He appeared to have fainted from the extreme straining that his yami had put his body through, and Anzu only wished that she could do the same; her legs felt that they could give out from under a moment's notice.

"Anzu, are you okay?" Malik's violet eyes were looking at her frail form in a nervous way. "You don't look so good."

"I'm alright, Malik. Don't worry about me." Anzu straightened up and tried to look convincing. "I'm just a little tired from all the running we did."

"If that's so, then you should try to keep your energy up. If things are as bad as you say they are, we might be running a lot more." Giving her a kind smile, Malik pointed to one of the smaller hallways that branched off the main one. "Ishizu should be down that hall somewhere. Let's go."

---

The museum was quieter than Anzu had expected it to be; her heels clicked against the smooth floors loudly that Anzu wondered if Malik could hear her heartbeat. They moved through the corridors in silence: Malik too preoccupied with Ryou on his back, and Anzu became caught up in her own thoughts. Images of Yugi's cryptic face before Yami Bakura came sent shivers straight through her. The menacing, purple pits that were supposedly his eyes constantly bore a hole in her head, his voice hissing I unison with Samira: "_This is the end, Anzu_."

_What if I never see him again?_

"You know Anzu, I've been thinking about everything that you told me", Malik said as they walked down the hall, interrupting Anzu's grief session. "It all seems kind of odd, you know? Yugi putting a knife to your throat? A blue Millennium Eye? Yami Bakura playing the role of savior? It makes your head spin a little."

"Yeah…."

"I mean, I've never heard of a blue Millennium Symbol before. They've always been yellow. And Yugi actually put a dagger to you?" Anzu nodded sadly. "That's definitely mind-control right there. There's no other reason as to why he would attack you like that."

"Yugi would never hurt anyone on his own free will. **Never**."

Malik looked off to the side. "Hmm…. All the more reason to wonder who this Samira person is. She's obviously powerful." Anzu looked up, slightly intrigued.

"Really? You sure?"

"Anzu, I used to own the Millennium Rod. Granted, I was controlled by an evil influence, but I can still remember how it felt to hold someone's will in your grasp, to bend as you saw fit." Malik's eyes glazed a bit, as though remembering a forgotten love. "When I used Joey against Yugi, it took a lot of my will to manage his strength. I can only imagine that Yugi is also as strong in his heart, if not stronger. With this Samira, he did break through her control and spoke to you on his own free will, but the fact that in the end you were quite close to dying at his hands means that she has a will much, much stronger than the likes we have ever seen."

The silence around them settled for a moment, their minds clouded with thoughts. Anzu shuddered in remembrance of that memory, the way Yugi stared at her with his dead eyes. The whole scenario made her wonder about the mysterious Samira.

_If she is so powerful, why didn't she appear earlier, such as the Grand Tournament or sometime before when commotion wasn't as noticeable? Is it because Atemu left, _she pondered sadly. _Is it because now the world is free to be taken over by anyone? _

"Anyway, I still don't understand why Bakura saved you", Malik said as they turned a corner and headed down a new hallway. "I mean, this is **Bakura** we're talking about here. Evil, cynical, thieving Bakura. If you look up 'evil' in a thesaurus, Bakura would be under there for reference. He's that tough." An icy breeze fluttered Anzu's hair, as well as Malik's, almost making her jump; it seemed that Yami Bakura had every intention to listen in on them while he took residence inside the Ring.

"I know, but he still rescued me. That's pretty selfless, if you ask me." Their footsteps echoed through the corridors as they continued on into the museum.

"It's ironic, if you think about", Malik tried to joke, "you were saved from the wrath of **Yugi **by **Bakura**. That's role reversal right there." He paused, waiting for Anzu to laugh. The dead quiet took away his smile. "Seriously though, it is kind of strange. After all, Bakura is a thief with dark, sinister Shadow Realm powers, and I'm sure that saving someone other than himself is the last thing he'd want to do. It got me thinking…."

"Thinking about what?" Anzu glanced at Malik's eyes, and saw them sparkle with realization.

"Thinking that Bakura may have saved you for his own selfish reasons."

"What?"

"You remember the Battle City semi-finals, right?" Anzu nodded. "The battle between Bakura and Yugi? When Bakura lost that duel to save his host's body? Well, you could think he was being nice and all, saving Ryou, but I was talking to Bakura telepathically. The only reason he saved Ryou was because if he didn't, his body would be destroyed and Bakura would be locked inside the Millennium Ring forever. He only did that to save himself." Anzu listened intently, Malik's words finally making sense.

"So he never thought about Ryou when he did that? It was only to keep from being stuck inside the Millennium Ring." The puzzling news from being fit into the equation perfectly, and Anzu wondered why the motive was so obvious yet she didn't see it before.

"Exactly with that in mind, I'm sure that your 'savior' has a secret reasoning for his actions. Something that benefits him in a way I haven't come up with yet, but I'm still thinking." Turning his head to see her, Malik grinned at Anzu warmly. Now feeling safe among her friends, Anzu could take a breather within the protecting fortress that was the Domino Museum.

_Samira won't find us here for a long time._

---

Author's Note: _Thanks for waiting on me, my readers! Love all of you from the bottom of my Yu-Gi-Oh! obsessed heart XD. See ya_!


	15. Wisdom of the Past

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _My, I have such a boring little life! I could be working towards my career and trying to become successful, but NOOO! I just sit around all day and wait for you guys, my precious fans, to send me a few words of praise... Ra, I am a sad case, aren't I? Talented, but sad…. Anyway, you better start reading (the faster you do that the faster I get reviews that will hopefully be good)._

#2 Author's Note: _Thoughts are in italics, and so are flash-back thoughts. Enjoy!_

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 15: Wisdom of the Past….**

The inner chambers of the Domino Museum were never the true focus of the museum; simply put, all the far more "interesting" exhibits were placed in the front so that the tourists were instantly drawn in and satisfied. The inner rooms were either for storage or used to display less known artifacts in a quiet space for scholars and Egyptologists. Within the cool stone walls of the museum, great and terrible treasures held knowledge and the pristine history of the ancient times.

Ishizu Ishtar was one of the few who could show appreciation for the exhibits before her; each one held the unique story, begging to be told and received by the world. Had it been just a regular routine check-in that evening, Ishizu would have studied the many wonders in the cold, isolated museum in complete privacy. But tonight was not such a night; with a missing mummy and some impending doom growing in Domino, the young curator feared that there wouldn't be much time left for thought, much less studying.

There was an evil presence in Domino tonight; who and what remained a mystery, but as to if it existed, Ishizu could say yes. Her intuition never failed to give an accurate depiction of the coming future, and as always it remained to be unmatched. Ishizu wasn't sure if the visions and premonitions that she had were at all from some left-over power that came from her use of the Millennium Necklace, but she was sure that it had something to do with it. Like Malik's persuasive powers, unless those were natural as well.

Born into a family of tomb keepers, Ishizu's childhood always revolved around the ancient mysteries of her homeland of Egypt. Every day of her life spiraled around the mystical legends of the Nameless Pharaoh: his history, his return, and how on the day of the Pharaoh's rebirth it would be the tomb keepers' responsibility to keep his memories safe and ready for him. Because she was a girl, Ishizu was ineligible to become the keeper of the Pharaoh's memories; it could only be the first born son of the tomb keeper clan that went through the ceremony. By an unfortunate turn of events, the Ishtar family had their first son, Malik; before Malik was born, their adopted son-Odion- was to become the keeper of the Pharaoh's memory against their father's wishes. Once Malik was born, though, the ceremony was rescheduled and Odion failed to become a part of the tomb keeper clan.

_The ceremony_. Despite how honorable it was to become the Keeper of Memory, Ishizu knew that one day scarred her brother forever. It was at the very moment he was imprinted with the Pharaoh's memories on his back that an evil emerged from inside of him; somehow the ceremony had produced a dark alter-ego in Malik, and with it came the start of his quest to become Pharaoh.

"_Why should I wait for the Pharaoh's return!_" Ishizu recalled her brother saying so many times over. "_Why does he deserve to rule Egypt, when it is obvious that **I **should be Pharaoh! Why should I slave about, tending to a 5000 year old king who may never return, when I have the secret to his power on my back! I deserve to be Pharaoh, not him!_"

_If not for the brave actions of Pharaoh Atemu, perhaps Malik's dark side would be Pharaoh right now_, thought Ishizu, a cringe coming from the mere thought of such a scenario. Realizing that she was already wasting time remembering the past, the curator returned her thoughts to the task at hand: the sarcophagus.

The thing about recent exhibits that Ishizu always pondered about was why the information about them was always muddled and vague; eager to get the exhibits out of the storage room and put on display, museum employees didn't take the time to give the artifact their full attention and making sure that the information was correct. When that happened, historians and scholars always started a riot with each other to the true origins of said artifact. _If only they knew how to get it right the first time_.

The stolen mummy was no exception. Although the plaque above the sarcophagus said that there was limited information about the mummy, Ishizu knew that the museum's employees were simply too lazy to fix the board. In fact, Ishizu knew a bit more about the corpse who once resided in the coffin then the plaque had let on. She let her cerulean eyes refocus on the present situation; a missing artifact, no signs of a possible robbery. She sighed heavily. _This is going to be a long night_... She had no idea how right she was.

---

"How are things presently?" Samira said to the loyal servant before her. Night had fallen swiftly after Anzu Mazaki's unexpected escape, leaving the Kame Game shop dark and clouded by an eerie silence. Though she could only see a faint outline in the darkness, Samira knew that this man to be one of her many puppets: the mark of her magic left upon his being did not lie when she felt his presence, along with the others.

"Doing well, my Queen", the man replied without emotion, or any real sign of free will. "We have located your prey, at the museum you were trapped in."

Samira let out a sigh, hinting her annoyance. "Smart little mortals, aren't they?" Letting her crimson eyes glance at the window, she added, "Any males with her, besides the one who took her from me?"

"Yes, my Queen. There is another."

"Heh." Samira's tongue rolled over her lips, brushing across them like a cat anticipating a long-awaited meal. "So little Anzu isn't smart enough to take the hint. She has already allowed me the opportunity to kill her yet." Rising from a chair placed next to the window of Yugi's room, Samira glanced back at her servant. "You nay go now."

"Yes, my Queen." In a mere second the man was gone, almost vanishing into the shadows that clung to the walls, and Samira turned her attention back to the dark road in front of Kame Game shop. Though any normal passerby would only see a quiet abandoned sidewalk or a neighborhood at nightfall, the dark woman could see her men sneaking in cloaks of nocturnal invisibility; each and every shadow housed one of her many servants, whose objective stood as law: obey the orders of their master. She grimaced as she watched them move about the area, their stealth unmatched b even the greatest ninjas. With satisfaction depicting every feature, she let out a silent laugh.

"And so it has begun."

---

Author's Note: _This will be quick, cause I have to do my homework. Love you all and I'm getting very used to all the reviews so keep them comin'!_


	16. To Keep Secrets

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Got nothin' to say, so just read._

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 16: To Keep Secrets…**

As they walked into one of the chambers within the Domino Museum storage facility, Anzu barely registered the idea that they had finally reached their destination; though their travels had only lasted mere minutes, the silence that fell over Malik and herself was so hypnotizing and comforting that she didn't even realize that Ishizu stood before her.

The sight of Ishizu made Anzu's blood freeze in her veins, not because she disliked the woman, but because of her likeness to Samira. Long black hair flowed elegantly to her waist, a custom feature of her hour-glass figure. Her dark, Egyptian skin was enveloped in a creamy off-white color dress, decorated with gold and black around her collar, which was wrapped around her shoulders. The place around her neck where her Millennium Necklace would usually be seen was bare; it became bare after she gave it to Yugi during the Battle City Tournament. Anzu still shivered nervously at the slight thought of Samira, but one look at Ishizu's large, friendly blue eyes helped to lessen the fear instilled in her.

"Sister!" Malik, after gently laying Ryou up against a wall, ran over to Ishizu. She looked at him with a hint of annoyance in her glare.

"Brother, I told you to stay outside", she scolded. "I already warned you on-" Ishizu's cerulean gaze fell on Anzu, who stood by Ryou's sleeping form shyly. Anzu let her eyes look down as she did not want to interrupt a family dispute.

Ishizu's attitude instantly softened. "Anzu, glad to see you here! I'm so honored that you came to visit us! How did you know we were in Japan?" Then she noticed the limp form of Ryou lying on the ground beside the brunette. "Ryou! What happened to him!"

Anzu winced when she realized that she would have top explain her horrible ordeal with the evil princess. Again. "It's a bit of a long story…."

---

Reluctantly the high school student filled Ishizu in on the details about the situation. Like Malik, she appeared surprised by the sudden string of events, but unlike her brother she seemed more calm, as though she already knew what was gong on to a degree. Anzu didn't doubt that; despite the loss of her Millennium Necklace, Ishizu could still see into the future on random occasions that were more or less out of her control. With news that weighed at this magnitude, Anzu assumed that perhaps Ishizu did know what had happened to her on a vague scale. Nonetheless, she still had to tell her the tale, from start to finish.

By the time Anzu closed up her story, Ishizu appeared stricken with fear. "Oh dear Ra…", she whispered. "This isn't good…." Slowly, Ishizu's gaze drooped to her feet, and a deafening silence ensnared the group; it was Malik who finally broke the ear-piercing quiet.

"Sister, you understand the urgency of the situation, do you not? At any moment this witch could come looking for Anzu again, and we need more information if we are to defeat her and rescue our friends. We were hoping that you could inform us on how do to so."

It was around the end of Malik's words that Ishizu once again looked up; in her large eyes held a guilt and knowledge beyond any that Anzu had ever laid eyes on. Ishizu's eyes seemed to speak to her, seemed to say something Anzu felt would answer all their questions, and yet leave them with more than they started with, leaving them helpless.

"I'm sorry", she whispered.

---

Just like the records of the Nameless Pharaoh, Samira's history has remained an unknown part of Egyptian past until recently", Ishizu began. "It has only been during the last seven years that Egyptologists such as myself have discovered her faint history. It has been assumed among us that she must have existed around the same century as Pharaoh Atemu."

"Sister, if this were true, then would you not have identified her within the contents of the Pharaoh's records?" Malik asked. Ishizu shook her head.

"No, Brother. In fact, there isn't a single mention of anyone regarding Samira's description." The former tomb keeper paused for a moment, and with a regal air wavered her hand over to where a beautifully, artistically carved sarcophagus laid under a glass case. "This happens to be the sarcophagus from which Samira arose from the dead."

Anzu felt herself awaken a little from the surreal daze she had entered since the entire event occurred. Her cerulean orbs rested a bit on the coffin, the image of it both serene yet cold as she realized that the woman who was now hunting her down once slept in the darkness of death for five millennia within her stone prison. A thought dawned on her in that instant, and it was then that she no longer focused on the sarcophagus itself.

"Ishizu, did they replace the glass container?"

Ishizu's gaze fell deep into hers as she replied: "No one has. This is the way they found it when the authorities came."

"But… how? How did Samira escape?' It was then that Ishizu once again revealed her sad, all-knowing smile and eyes.

"The local police assume that the thief forced the guard to open it with his key, but judging by who we're talking about, that would be an understatement."

"So much power…", Malik breathed, his presence almost forgotten in the middle of their conversation. "The power to control a set group of people with hardly any exertion what so ever… what else can you tell us, Sister?"

"Ishizu sighed heavily, and Anzu noticed the strain that replaced her usually placid features; the dark circles formed beneath her blue eyes, a heaviness fogged up in her very being as she stood before her audience. Indeed, Ishizu already learned vaguely of the present predicament in visions and some foresight, and it must have been a grim future if it worried the usually calm curator to this extent. It made Anzu wonder if she looked as Ishizu did, with the loaded burden of knowledge and fear slumping her shoulders, tangling her hair, clouding her eyes. Did she appear as tired, as worried, as frightened of the thing to come?

"Brother, I'm sorry to say that I only know so much. I wish I could be of more assistance to you both." She paused to sigh again, her chest rising and falling with a bit of effort on her part. "I will tell you all I can though. Samira, from what I have gathered, in some sort of princess or other form of royalty from Egypt. The duration of her reign as a part of the royal family is still unknown, as well as what royal family she belonged to or when she actually ruled. She was queen of Egypt temporarily, but that didn't last long as she accused of treason and put to death. She had been both burned and poisoned at once, and it is unclear which method killed her first. Either way, it appeared the guardians of the Pharaoh wanted her death to be definite."

Out of nowhere, the sound of feet scraping along the smooth floor echoed through the exhibit room, followed by a familiar voice. "Well, that won't help us, now will it?"

Malik turned to the source of the voice. "Ryou, I thought you were still sleeping. You need your rest."

He snorted. "Why do you insist on making me repeat myself? I am NOT Ryou." The evil spirit, after his slight struggle to regain control of his host's worn body, now walked with the grace of a king towards them. _The_ King of Thieves, to be exact. "And I need no rest. So long as I control Ryou's body, he has no injuries that I cannot handle."

"So, the great King of Thieves has honored us with his presence", Ishizu said, her words seemingly sarcastic but were oddly serious and respectful. "Care to be of any assistance to us?"

Yami Bakura shrugged. "Nope, just here for the ride."

"Please everyone let's at least try to stay focused", Malik pleaded as her noticed his sister's growing dislike towards the evil spirit. Yami Bakura seemed equally pissed off, but managed to hide it behind a sly and teasing smile. "First problem: what are we going to do now?"

It started as a faint noise at first; a hum that vibrated in the distance that was hardly recognizable to Anzu. Then it grew louder, so loud that the sound ricocheted through the room as if it were some sort of underground cavern. Anzu recognized it immediately, as the noise became clear to her: it was laughter. Evil, cackling, laughter. Instinctively she turned towards the wall behind her, and as intuition would have it Anzu discovered that her gut was right, and that cackle had come from behind her.

"Samira…." She breathed.

---

Author's Note: _I have nothing much to say except that I want to thank all of you for the reviews! Thanks! _


	17. Regrets Old and New

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Sorry guys, but some of your nightmares are gonna come true! BWAHAHAHA! Or at least half of them…. You'll just have to read and find out! _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics, and any italic sentences with quotation marks around them mean telepathic thoughts._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 17: Regrets Old and New….**

Samira fazed up through the stone floor as though she were a ghost; her body simply rose up through the air like a feather, as though she were made of nothing but air. Her outfit was different this time, for instead of the snug white dress and gold jewelry she wore at Yugi's house, she was dressed in an eloquent black, gothic-like outfit that snaked around her form like shadows. The top part was a sleeveless shirt of black lace, see-through and as delicate as black spider silk, and it would have shown off her entire upper body had it not been for the black leather corset that she wore over it. It extended down until it hit a large silver belt that sat loosely on her hips, and there the skirt started in a long billowing flutter; it danced about her as if it itself were alive. Her shoes were sharp, steel-toed boots that, if the skirt floated up high enough, appeared to end just below her thighs; her arms were bare except for black leather gloves that extended up to her shoulders. On her belt Samira had two daggers, sitting placidly in their sheaths, and a long, imposing sword graced her right side in its sheath, as if waiting to slice into terrified flesh in a second.

Despite the outfit change, Anzu still could not help but become lost in the demon woman's garnet eyes. They glowed with a cold, poisonous power, and instantly Anzu felt all her anguish from her encounter with Yugi rise up in her like bile. Her breath halted in her throat as the woman smiled malevolently.

"Oh, little Anzu… so we meet once again I see." Samira looked around the room at everyone present; Anzu watched, frozen with terror, as the witch's gaze circled from Ishizu, to Anzu, Malik, and then Yami Bakura, whom she gave a pleasant grin to.

"So the great Akefia is back in business, I presume?" Bakura smiled and shrugged nonchalantly at Samira, as though she was not some evil princess bent on destroying life as they knew it but just a mere flea in his presence.

"You presume right, Your Highness."

She smirked. "It only seems like destiny that it would be **you**, the ancient King of Thieves, who should steal from me my prey." Samira's gaze fell on Anzu for a split second, but even within that second Anzu felt her blood turn cold.

A bit of protectiveness added itself to Yami Bakura's sarcastic poise when the princess addressed Anzu. "You know damn well that it would be me2. Well, are we going to fight now, or should I grab a chair and wait for the teasing festivities to be over?"

"Don't be so restless, Akefia", Samira said, the syllables of Yami Bakura's Egyptian name rolling off her tongue with careful consideration and a tempting tone. She turned her vision to Malik in a graceful twirl in the, in the mid-air stance that she was in, starling the young tomb keeper. "That won't be necessary."

Galvanized by Samira's sudden interest in him, Malik stepped away from her cautiously, his violet eyes never leaving hers out of fear that she would strike. Anzu's heart beat quickened as she watched the scene unfold before her, the air so stagnate with anticipation and terror that Anzu felt as if she couldn't breathe. At any moment she could see Samira turn from Malik, at any moment she could lunge at Anzu instead and end her life as though it were as simple as blinking….

"_Stop fretting, little Anzu_", Samira's voice hissed in Anzu's mind, and with it Anzu almost let out a silent scream; though the princess's back was to her, Anzu could still sense that she was smiling with utter delight. "_You are not my prey at the moment. For now-_" she paused a second to lick her blood red lips- "_I have other puppets to make_."

It all clicked so suddenly that Anzu nearly fell backwards; quickly, before fear could defer her otherwise, she screamed, "Malik! RUN! Before she turns you into her puppet!" Malik's eyes went wide with shock, and instantly tried to pull himself away from the demon's reach. To his own horror, he yelped, "I… I can't move my legs! They're frozen!"

Samira laughed uncontrollably. "Oh, how you mortals amuse me." She leaned in towards her prey, allowing Malik to pull and scream for help as she drew closer. Finally, she was close enough that Malik could feel a somewhat cold breath brush up against his face, which felt cool from the sweat that had formed on his brow and neck. Her large garnet eyes looked deep into his, and at first he didn't know where he was, for he was so lost in them, until he noticed her glittering teeth shining from her sly smile. "Now I'm finished playing."

"NO!" Anzu and Ishizu shouted at once, but there efforts to protest made no difference to Samira; she leaned back, her left arm being raised slowly and dramatically to reveal the blue Millennium Symbol that was etched into her palm. As if a star had exploded in the exhibit room, a blinding blue light filled the area; no one could see through the light's shining brilliance for a few moments. After what felt like a second, Anzu dared herself to open her eyes, afraid of what might be there, afraid of the obvious….

_Oh please… please let Malik be okay_. She knew her prayers had been in vain though, as soon as her eyelids fluttered fully open to assess the damage. There was Samira, as pleased as ever, still floating on air and grinning like the Cheshire Cat, and there, right in front of the evil princess, was the empty shell that once was Malik.

He looked the same as he always did, for nothing regarding his outward appearance changed much. They say that the eyes of the person are like windows, looking into their souls, showing what lay within. At the moment Malik's eyes represented an empty soul room; his majestic purple eyes were now clouded by Samira's unmatched powers, and showed no signs of intelligent life.

But it was not his outwards appearance that startled Anzu; it was his aura, the feeling that he produced around him that signaled to her his obvious condition. No longer was he like a hot coal, radiating with warmth and softness and joy, but a cold, vacant vessel that was similar to a machine. A tear slipped down the left side of Anzu's face, followed by another, and another after that. Images of Yugi and his empty heart resonated with that of the person who was once Malik, and before Anzu could do otherwise she felt the tsunami of dismal pain and hurt that she had locked up only a half-hour ago flood through her in an instant. She would have fallen to her knees if it wasn't for the fact that Samira had instilled enough fear in her to make her body go rigid. "Malik… no…."

Silence held for a moment, and then a shout erupted from behind Anzu. "How DARE you!" Ishizu yelled venomously at Samira. "He is my BROTHER! How dare you do this to him! Undo your magic! Now!"

The shell that was Ishizu's brother failed to respond, but Samira appeared willing to play. "It's nothing personal, my dear. After all, pawns are only what you make of them."

"I will kill you", whispered Ishizu, and from the death glare that she was giving Samira, Anzu didn't doubt that she would try. Samira only laughed.

"Ha! I have no time for such antics. A queen does not fight battles; she had pawns do the work for her." The demon ran her fingers through Malik's hair, as though she had known him since her was a child; Anzu heard Ishizu growl. "Oh and look! I have one right here!"

Anzu shuddered, terrified. "No, not Malik…!"

"Hahaha! Oh yes, Malik!" Samira began to fade away into the air, vanishing before their eyes like a cloud of breath in the cold winter wind; just as she was about to disappear fully, she let forth her final decree: "Malik, take care of them." And then she was gone.

---

Author's Note: _Oooh, getting chills yet? I know I am! See you guys soon!_


	18. Unfortuante Circumstance

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: Oh, I know that a lot of you are upset by the latest chappie and Malik's sad situation, but it had to be done. I am evil! No, I'm really not, but the story's gotta keep you guys on your toes, right? Thanks for giving me over 60 reviews my readers! You are all great! Ra-bless you!

#2 Author's Note: All thoughts are in italics.

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 18: Unfortunate Circumstance**

Samira's words had been the trigger.

It was not even a second after his master left the battle that Malik flew into action. Without hesitation he leapt into the air, his former expression gone as quickly as Samira; his foggy purple eyes replaced by wild, animal eyes that were sharp with intensity and intend on bloodshed, his blank face discarded for a malevolent grin that showed white, sparkling teeth that desired to piece flesh. He jumped high into the air, his first target-

"Anzu! RUN!"

-was Anzu.

The school girl spun to get out of the way, doing so just in time to avoid Malik's grasp. His movements were abrupt and deadly; he moved so quickly that Anzu could only see the blurry aftermath of Malik's attack. Before Anzu could regain her balance, Malik was already upon her, and this time she couldn't dodge in time-

But Yami Bakura was even faster. The evil spirit tackled Malik off to the side in mid-air, sending him flying into a giant urn. The large vase crashed onto the floor, scattering broken pieces of ancient pottery all over the room. The surprise assault from Yami Bakura had stunned Malik a bit, giving Anzu and Ishizu a little time to react.

"Run! Get out of here!" Bakura yelled as he got up. "I can stall him! Escape before Malik gets up!"

"But what about you!" Anzu shouted. Bakura snickered.

"I am the King of Thieves, Anzu! I think I can take care of myself! Now go!"

Doing as they were told, Anzu and Ishizu made off in a mad run through the exhibit doors and down the empty halls. Their footsteps thundered down the long hallway, their breathing quick and shallow as they desperately tried to quicken their pace; Anzu's panic was so great that she could feel her pulse beat furiously in her ear. She didn't know how the long the Spirit of the Ring could keep Malik preoccupied, but she was sure that it wouldn't be for long. In the distance the sound of loud crashes and shattering glass told Anzu all she needed to know; she only hoped that the spirit would be okay.

"Anzu, hurry!" Ishizu shouted. "We're almost at the entrance doors!" Sure enough, the small hallway branched off into the larger main hall of the Domino Museum. The automatic doors to their right opened and closed as they exited and both Anzu and Ishizu were finally outside in the chilly, quiet night.

Well, it would have been quieter if it hadn't been for the army of mind-slaves that surrounded the Domino Museum. All males, the servants crept up the large stone steps, stalking their prey like a pack of vicious hyenas. Anzu felt herself panicking as she watched the group draw closer, their eyes wide and wanting to kill. She wanted to scream, to run and get away, but somehow her feet had glued themselves to the ground as if mad of cement. Ishizu stood beside her, and Anzu could also tell that she was trembling as well, but behind her nervous guise remained a calm, quick-thinking tomb keeper who was ready to take on the dangers in front of her.

_At least one of us is thinking_, she thought nervously.

"Anzu", Ishizu whispered, her sky blue eyes darting between her friend and the slaves. "listen. On the count of three we will separate. I'll distract Samira's mind-servants and you will run to my jeep over there." Ishizu's eyes gestured to her left, and Anzu noticed a khaki-green Toyota jeep sitting undisturbed on the other side of the road. She could barely make it out in the darkness, and then Anzu realized that the street lights had been decimated by the mind-slaves to black-out the area.

"On my count", Ishizu said, bracing herself.

"No Ishizu! If we get separated, they'll kill us both for sure!" Anzu began, but Ishizu protested.

"Anzu, listen to me!" she snapped. "If we separate, at least **you'll **make it out alive!" Her blue eyes glazed over with tears, and her voice choked on a whisper. "My brother's gone to me, again to the darkness. There is not much left for me to do but at least you'll get away from here safely, and if that means losing my life in the process… then so be it."

"But what about Bakura? We have to help him somehow!" Anzu tried to steer Ishizu away from her plan as much as possible, but the tomb keeper didn't budge.

"He will do fine on his own. You heard him, he's the 'King of Thieves'. What matters now is that you get to safety, and that is all. Understand?"

Anzu nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, I do."

"Alright, on my count." The men were closing in, their gangly forms slowing as they crowded around them, anticipating. Ishizu took in a big breath.

"One…."

They came in even closer. One of the mind-slaves was really getting close, almost ready to pounce.

"Two…."

Anzu could feel her leg muscles tensing, ready to run, ready to go as far as she could to get away.

"And-"

"THREE!" A blur flew past Anzu from behind, too fast for her to see, but a second later five of Samira's soldiers fell like useless lumps of jelly. The soft thud of feet landed behind them, and as Anzu and Ishizu turned they were happy to finally see-

"Bakura!"

Anzu felt so joyous that she wanted to cry, but just let a tear fall down her cheek. The evil spirit seemed proud of himself, his poise straight and a victorious smile gracing his battle-worn face. Cuts and lacerations marked his arms and clothing was ripped in a few spots, but otherwise the spark of evil determination lingered in his chocolate eyes. "I … I thought… you… oh, Bakura! Are you okay?"

Bakura wiped a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth. "Never been better, actually." A moan or two came from the mind-slaves as they approached , steeping over their dead comrades. "And they still want a beating. Oh well, duty calls." Bakura pulled out his dueling deck from his pants pocket, and with it the Millennium Ring began to glow a faint yellow light. In an instant, several duel monsters had appeared out of nowhere, somewhat transparent but looked very much so real. Bakura put his deck back into his pocket and then pulled out a long, gold-colored sword, the blade shimmering in the moonlight and the hilt decorated with Egyptian designs and rubies. Blood lightly stained the gold blade from its last encounter with the flesh of mind-slaves. Ishizu gasped.

"You… how can you take that? It was an ancient relic of-"

"Do you really care about the history of this damn blade, or about how your life is in mortal peril?" Bakura spat. Silence held for a moment, and Yami Bakura took it as a response. "So I thought. Now, off with you! I have some business to take care of."

Anzu decided not to question Yami Bakura's orders; taking Ishizu's hand, the two women sprinted down the stone steps toward the jeep. Hands reached for them as they ran to the car, but Anzu and Ishizu managed to avoid them as they headed for safety. To their right Anzu caught small parts of the evil spirit's battle with these men, hearing Yami Bakura say something like, "Die, you son of a bitch!" and then the swish of the ancient sword cutting both air and human bodies apart. The duel monsters were also making progress, biting off heads and literally tearing people into globs of flesh as they tried to stop the army. A rhythm began to form as men thumped like potato sacks on the cement, one falling after the next, but no matter how many "innocent" mind-slaves Yami Bakura seemed to be slaughtering behind them, more and more multiplied like rats in a sewer.

Finally Anzu and Ishizu were at the jeep, eager and impatient to jump inside for safety; mind slaves were not far behind them, and Yami Bakura had his own problems to deal with closer to the museum. Scared out of her mind, Anzu tugged at the car door in a rapid fashion, only to discover that they were caught in cruel web of fate, for there was only one statement that she could scream to Ishizu:

"Ishizu, the door! The door is locked!"

---

Author's Note: _Dum, dum, dum! Anyone screaming bloody murder at me for stopping right here? I thought so! Oh well, you'll just have wait for my update then! R x R_


	19. Escape to Find the Truth

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Guess what I just learned how to do? Give replies to my reviewers! So, to anyone who wants me to give 'em a big HELLO and a personal message, TELL ME! I would be so happy to! I would like, LIVE for that! And even if you don't want me to, I will ANYWAY! That's just cause no one around here talks to me….sniffle. Feed the author! _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. And maybe a random disembodied voice or two._

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 19: Escape to Find the Truth…**

"Ishizu! The door! It's locked! LOCKED!" Anzu screamed in growing panic. The mind slaves drew closer, their wavering eyes glued to their prey as they trudged towards them.

"No! The keys! They're in the jeep!" Ishizu yelled miserably. Sure enough, there were the car keys, sitting idly on the dashboard as Anzu struggled with the car door handle. The servants wee inching their way to the jeep, their feet scraping across asphalt with every step they took, and their eyes set directly upon their target. Some of the closer ones had grimaces on their zombie-like faces, their tongues hanging lazily out of their mouths and dripping with saliva; some had their eyes rolled back inside their skulls, and some were so excited that foam was forming on the corners of their absent-minded grins. Anzu screamed in disgust.

"Oh God! Someone, save us! PLEASE!" About thirty or so feet away Bakura had just finished stomping a mind slave's limb into the pavement to stop the twitching when he heard Anzu's cries. His sword, which had been resting like a baseball bat on his right shoulder, was thrust forward into the crowd of puppets. "Anzu! Just great!"

Meanwhile, both Ishizu and Anzu were trying their hardest to yank off the stubborn car door, or at least break the glass of one of the windows so that they could get inside. Anzu's fists pounded with a loud thud against the driver's side window, but still she couldn't break it; for a jeep, Ishizu's vehicle was extremely durable. "It won't break! What do we do!"

Ishizu kicked at the passenger side window. "I'm… trying…." She ceased her kicking and looked at Anzu's alarmed face. "Don't worry, we'll think of something!"

Suddenly, Anzu felt the light, feathery touch of a hand brush up against her arm. She turned abruptly, hoping to see Yami Bakura, but instead came face-to-face with a hungry mind slave. He moaned in delight. Anzu screamed again.

"Aaahh!" Out of fright she leapt up onto the hood of the car. "Well, we'd better think of something soon! They're almost on us now!" Anzu was unfortunately correct; several puppets had managed to reach the useless jeep, and now their greedy hands stretched over the jeep to grab Anzu's ankles. Ishizu soon joined Anzu on the jeep's hood, for another hoard of servants had gone around the car to the passenger side as well; standing helpless, the two girls felt like people on a deserted island, and there were sharks in the water all around them.

"Oh great, we're doomed", Anzu said as Samira's slaves started to pool around the jeep like flies on abandoned honey. "There doesn't appear to be a way out of this one, Ishizu."

The curator looked at Anzu in regret. "I only wish that I could free Malik… if only to know that he was safe. It cannot end this way…."

Anzu felt her friend's misery, and was about to admit defeat further and hold Ishizu's hand for the ending blow when the smallest voice, a tiny voice that rang in Anzu's ear but almost didn't seem to really exist, whispered to her ever so gently.

"_There is always a solution for every puzzle, Anzu. Look behind you, look behind_…." Anzu turned, expecting to see the owner of the strange voice, but no one was there. Instead, the answer to their problems lay right at her side.

"Ishizu?"

"Yes Anzu?"

"I… I think the sun roof's open."

The Egyptologist was despondent for a second, and then her azure eyes went wide as she realized what Anzu had said. "W-What?"

"The sun roof is open", Anzu said, and then as she herself finally understood what she had said she let her voice grow loud and joyous. "The sun roof is open!" There was their ticket out of there, as plain as could be; it was a miracle.

Ishizu nodded. "Good. Let me get in first, so that I can start up the jeep." Gracefully, the curator hopped onto the roof of the car and slid like a serpent through the open sun roof. After making her way into the driver's seat and securing the keys, Ishizu let out a muffle call. "Come on in, Anzu!"

With the zombie-like men drawing too close for comfort, Anzu had no reason not to obey; eager to escape, she climbed onto the roof of the car. Something restrained her, however; the tight grip of a hand on her ankle made Anzu turn to witness one of the mind slaves pulling her by the foot.

"No! Help, somebody!" Two more men grabbed hold of her leg, and Anzu began to feel her grip sliding off the car roof. Desperately she reached for the edge of the sun roof for support, but by then she was already slipping down the front windshield. She could see Ishizu watching from inside the jeep, horrified. "Ishizu! Anybody! No! Please, help me!"

All of a sudden, her bindings were released; the hands that once retrained Anzu fell onto the asphalt, the bodies collapsed onto other soldiers, dead. Blood was smeared all over the jeep's hood, and a swish of air above Anzu's head spoke of her savior's presence as he landed like a cat on the car roof top.

"Thanks, Bakura", Anzu said, breathless from all the excitement. The thief smirked.

"You should be thankful. Now are you going to get in the car, or should I let **them** get you?" H e held out his hand to the teen, and she took it gratefully. If Bakura had not been there, what would have become of her? Dead? Anzu shivered; she did not want to think about it. Carefully, she slipped herself through the opening and landed softly on the cushioned back seat. Bakura soon followed her with a thud as he landed.

Ishizu's eyes were seen glancing back in the rear view mirror. She cocked an eyebrow. "Bakura?"

As always, he smiled, apparently amused. "Present and accounted for."

"Alright then, I guess were set." Without warning, Ishizu put the jeep into drive, and swerved in a U-turn to knock off all the mind-slaves that had climbed on for a ride. All of them went flying, as well as Anzu, who was sent right into Yami Bakura when Ishizu swerved the jeep. Her shoulder collided with a hard, muscular chest and abs beneath his shirt, and her head pressed up against his heart accidentally; she could hear the steady beat, and for a moment Anzu felt heat flush across her cheeks.

She knew that Bakura was surprised, for she thought she heard him let out a "oomph!" that was barely audible the jeep's screeching tires as they burned rubber, but Anzu was unsure of whether he was blushing too or not.

"Is everyone okay back there?" Ishizu inquired once they were away from the museum and heading down a busier main road. Anzu nodded, though hesitant in case Bakura took her response the wrong way. Bakura shrugged to Ishizu.

"I've had worse", he responded. "But where shall we go next, eh? No doubt that Samira's army is spreading exponentially, and in no time all of Japan will be her territory." Anzu shuddered at his words at his words, while Ishizu sighed.

"That may be true, but I have a plan."

What is it Ishizu?" Anzu inquired, if only to separate herself from the majority of her own pernicious thoughts about the future of Japan.

"We are heading for the airport. We will take my jet to Egypt, where we will met up with Odion and hopefully find some way stop Samira from controlling the world, and killing you."

Bakura's face convoluted into a baleful expression. "That does sound like a plan, though a bit fallible at best. I'd suspect that Samira has thought of this as well?"

"Yes, but I am hoping that we can get there before she attacks."

Anzu purged herself of any doubt that she was presently holding; it kept her weighed down quite a lot, and she needed to stay positive if she wished to be of any assistance to this cause. After all, she didn't want to be a burden to Bakura and Ishizu, despite how much Bakura needed someone to argue with.

"Hope has gotten us this far", she said, "so I think we can do this."

"Alright then, it's settled", Ishizu replied. "I'll take us to the airport, get on my jet, and then… it's off to Egypt again."

"Home sweet home", Bakura chimed sarcastically.

---

Author's Note: _I hope you all enjoyed this update, can't wait to give more!_


	20. Reminiscing About the Dark

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Oh, how happy I am today! You readers are all SO nice! I should reward you for your kindness to this poor little author that is me… oh wait I know! Let me give you an UPDATE! That makes everybody happy! Now then, on with the show!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 20: Reminiscing About the Dark…**

"They have escaped again, my Queen", a voice in the shadows that was Samira's lair announced. The princess sat on a make-shift throne in the dark room of Yugi Moto, talking to her messengers as they came and left. Though she usually showed little interest to the things asked and required of her by her servants, any news regarding little Anzu and her friends slightly tickled her fancy.

"Again? I thought as much", she sneered, her garnet eyes flashing at the person who spoke to her from the darkness. "With Akefia helping her, little Anzu will be a slippery target indeed. And I understand that they are heading for an airport, am I correct?"

"Yes, my Queen."

"They catch on fast, those mortals. I guess I have no other choice." She sighed dramatically and thoughtfully. "Not that I'd make any other choice. I've been wanting to use him from the beginning of this fray." She smirked at her own desire for utter chaos, and then made a gesture towards the servant.

"You, go and fetch 'him'. I wish to see my weapon before I sent him out." Though she could barely separate her servant from the dark, she could sense his aura leave her presence. "I think he's been wanting a little play time anyway."

---

"Ishizu, I don't know if this road's safe", Anzu admitted as she watched an endless amount of trees fly by without a single sign of another car, or streetlights, or life. The road was completely entrenched in shadows, save for the small spot where the light from the headlights of Ishizu's jeep flooded it with its glow. It was some odd back road that Anzu had never been on before, and it made the butterflies in her stomach turn into raging eagles.

"This road leads to a private hanger, where my jet is stationed at", Ishizu replied calmly. "Once we're there, we van take my jet to Egypt, where we should find Odion."

"Hmph! Odion! I was wondering where **he** ran off to", Yami Bakura sarcastically remarked. "I figured that since Yami Marik is finally doing time in the Shadow Realm he probably got lazy and found a tomb to hide in. Now I can see I was right."

Ishizu glared at the tomb robber in the rear view mirror. "No, Odion was told by me to remain in Egypt in case something went wrong here in Domino. He wanted to come and protect Malik…." Ishizu's voice trailed off after that. When the silence should have ensured, Anzu attempted to keep the conversation going so that her feelings about Malik and Yugi's situation would not start tearing her apart.

"Ishizu, I've been wondering…." The curator glanced up out of her thoughts and looked into the rear view mirror again. "The sun roof… it was open when the doors were locked and the keys inside. Did you-"

"That was Malik", Ishizu interrupted, then sighed uncomfortably. "My brother… that was his doing. He must have gotten out of the car through the sun roof after I locked all the doors, even though he knows that there were spare keys on the dashboard, in plain sight. Malik", she grinned at the recent memory, "can be that way sometimes. Always taking the odd route out of things.

"I can't help but think it to be fate that my brother would leave the sun roof open so that we could escape. Fate seems to govern all things, but that is not always true, as my Millennium Necklace proved the day I was defeated by Kaiba. Despite this", Ishizu added, "I still believe that we are in the hands of fate, even though in a time like this all can seem lost. If fate is on our side then no matter what shall occur tonight all shall be well tomorrow, when Samira is defeated."

"Right", Anzu replied, but what Ishizu said about fate stirred Anzu's memory of that moment on the jeep, when that voice whispered to her when no one was clearly there. _Atemu… you are watching over me, aren't you? Even now, you are protecting us from Samira's evil. _She looked down at her silver cartouche, the one with Atemu's name engraved in it, and smiled to hold back the tears. _Thank you, Atemu._

Bakura snorted, destroying the small moment of peace that the two girls near him were trying so hard to enjoy. "Enough! Little memories like that won't fix this predicament." He turned his attention to Ishizu. "You said that we are heading to Egypt. What for? Going back to Samira's homeland may only increase her powers, and the likelihood of any of us finding some ancient text with a spell to destroy her is less than the chance of rain in that dreaded country, so why there? What are you planning Ishizu?"

There was a pause, and in that time Ishizu's blue eyes glanced between them, the road and her own feet, as though wondering if what she were about to say needed to be censored or not. Finally, she gave them an answer, and both Anzu and Bakura had different reactions to her given reason.

"We are going to Egypt", the tomb keeper said, "to find Pharaoh Atemu's tomb, and resurrect him from the afterlife."

---

_Not only was the afterlife beautiful in the day, but it still remained an insatiable splendor during the cool desert nights. Spirits do not really need sleep, so for them the night proves to be a wilds time of gambling, lusting, gaming, and down-right partying, Under a canvas of midnight blue, overflowing with far more stars than the world of the living could ever possess, the ancient Egyptians stayed up until various hours of the evening and morning, enjoying the pleasures gained from not owning a corporeal body. The entire afterlife of ancient Egypt was a lit with candles and torches, and the palace was no exception._

_The main hall had become a banquet hall in the evenings of the afterlife, as several long tables had been placed adjacent with each other in rows in the center of the room, all displaying intoxicating wines, luscious food, and hand-crafted dining ware of the finest imported china, gold and stone. Anyone who was anyone in the afterlife of ancient Egypt, or any afterlife, was there, since spirits could travel through to other afterlives to enjoy the various cultures and festivities. Everyone wore clothes of rich, deep colors of contrasting hues that were of exotic fabrics and decorated with fringe and gold embroideries, all softly glowing under the hazy light of the many scented torches that lined the room. Dancers performed at certain tables, as well as musicians and other forms of entertainment, and loud, ravenous talking filled the room with its joyous rhythm and fluctuation._

_The long, highly-decorated table in the very center of all the partying remained the one for the Pharaoh and his most loyal subjects. Here the best food was presented, the richest wine served, and the top dancers proceed to enchant any viewers resided, yet, despite all this splendor and endless motion of the resulting party, Pharaoh Atemu couldn't get his mind away from what was happening in the world of the living._

_He sat at the end of the table, with his father to the right and Simon, his adviser, to his left. Others that he knew from the bits of memory that he gained from the Memory World were there as well: Maahado and Mana were sitting together down on his right, talking about furthering Mana's magic training, while Priest Seto and Kisara were to his left just enjoying each other's company. He also saw Kalim, Isis, Shaada, and many others enjoying the warmth and enticing air of the night, and he, the great Pharaoh, should have been enjoying it as well._

_But he wasn't. Not in the least. For all he knew his friends could be dead or captured in the world of living, and here he was, trying to have fun and party the night away here in the palace. He did try to enjoy himself, tried to let himself go and become absorbed into the fray like his father did so many times before, but he found himself instantly wondering if Yugi and the others had evaded the coming evil, or if they were…_

No, I cannot keep brooding over this, _he thought to himself. _Like my father said, there isn't much that I can do. Worrying about this will only be a burden upon my friends here in the palace, and in any case, I am dead. To what can a dead person hope of achieving communication with their living friends back on Earth? _He sighed, and for the millionth time that night, attempted to listen to the conversations that went on at his table._

"_Aah, so exquisite!" Akhenamkhanen exclaimed as he bit into a leg of roasted pheasant. "The food in the afterlife never ceases to amaze me. How about you, Simon?"_

_His adviser nodded. "True, true! You would never find a dish this delicious back in the living realm!"_

"_Yes, the world of the living." The former Pharaoh glanced at his son, who at the mention of the living world, became more intent on listening to them speak. "Atemu, you look far too serious, my son. Is it the matter with the living world?"_

_Atemu was startled when his father addressed him, not expecting the former Pharaoh to take note of him and bring him into the conversation as well, but quickly found himself staring at his food depressingly. "Yes, father. That is a matter that will haunt me until I know the true nature of these shadows. My mind fails to rest until I do."_

_Simon finished chewing on a slice of bread as the two were talking among themselves; he cleared his throat. "Hm… yes…**that** problem. It is a good thing that you are aware of this my King." Atemu turned to Simon, and Akhenamkhanen looked as though he were about to say something when Simon continued. "There are pressing matters that we must attend to you with. I believe that it is time that we reveal to you the real reason-"_

"_FREEZE!" shouted Akhenamkhanen in Egyptian. In a second the entire room had turned black and white, like an old movie, and all the people within its boundaries were frozen in time. All had turned stagnate, except for Simon and Akhenamkhanen. "That is enough, Simon."_

_Simon sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that, my King. We have talked about this ever since Atemu came back to us, and you know the urgency of the situation. He must know the truth, before it is too late, before he-"_

"_Simon, I think that it is beyond your power to instruct me upon what to do." Simon fell silent and the former Pharaoh continued. "You are correct, and he needs to know about Samira and…and everything else, as soon as possible, but… you know that these are things that even I have trouble dealing with. Memories have a way of doing that, as I'm sure you are well aware. I will tell him when I deem it time to tell him, and that is an order. Do you understand, Simon?"_

_The old adviser, who knew through common sense that what his king was saying should be challenged for Atemu's sake, but thought better of it as he saw the kind offering in the king's eyes. "Yes, my Pharaoh", he whispered. "I understand. You should tell him when you are ready to inform him."_

_He nodded softly to Simon. "Thank you, my old friend", he responded, before shouting in a low baritone voice, "RESUME!". Time started up once again; everything began as it had been before, as though no time had past between, and no one seemed to notice the ripple in time. A few of the Pharaoh's guardians, as well as Atemu himself, felt slightly dazed with no apparent reason why, and the young Pharaoh wondered if perhaps he had too much to drink this night. He knew that Simon had been talking about something, but along with the light-headed feeling he acquired out of thin air also came an odd sense of amnesia that rendered him useless in trying to remember what Simon had been saying._

"_Excuse me, Simon", he said, interrupting whatever hid adviser had been announcing, "but I think I shall retire to my chambers. The night is old and… I have a lot on my mind." As though the speech Simon was about to give were as flimsy as paper, Simon abandoned it and gave a sympathetic smile to the young Pharaoh._

"_But of course, my King. Do as you please."_

---

Author's Note: _There! I brought Atemu back into the story after his long break! Celebrate! Have a party! Give me a really big review showing your adulation! … I don't know; just do something until the next review! Thanks guys!_


	21. Fool me twice, shame on me

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Wow, I didn't know so many of you had pom-poms and happy dances all set up for such an occasion! I feel quite honored to have brought you such an opportunity to use them. And I'm sorry for the slight wait, butI couldn't upload this chappie for some reason (I was ready to cry)and now I can, so rejoice, my readers!But for now leave your thoughts about Atemu back for another day, for we must now refocus on Anzu, Bakura, and Ishizu! Hope you enjoy!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 21: Fool me twice, shame on me…**

"What!" Both Anzu and Yami Bakura exclaimed after Ishizu gave them her decree. Though the two passengers could only stare incredulously at the young curator, both had various thoughts upon the subject.

Anzu was both surprised and exuberant about the prospect of bringing back the Pharaoh, and it wasn't just for her slightly selfish desire to see him somewhere other than her dreams. She wasn't sure how, but she knew that there may be a chance that Atemu could defeat Samira; Anzu knew that the lengths of the princess's power were great, but after all of the previous evils that were thwarted before this new menace by the great Pharaoh, Anzu knew that there was always hope for victory.

Yami Bakura scowled at the idea of bringing Atemu back from the dead. _Baka Pharaoh_, _he's dead already, so why don't we just keep him that way! _But deep down, far below his tough tomb robber exterior, the meek little voice that was his conscious knew that it was the smart thing do to. After all, he knew very well that he couldn't continue to be the protector of this group… the whole thought of it made him want to retch… so if the Pharaoh were to come back and defeat Samira, then this whole mess could be done and over with. _Then Samira can finally die, and not have the ability to_-

Bakura shook his head, He couldn't think about that now; at the moment he had questions to ask, and it was imperative that he asked them now.

"Oh, really now, Ishizu? And just how do you propose we go about this little quest of ours, hm?" Bakura finally spat out.

"the details are sketchy at best, but I do have a plan", the Egyptologist said as the car rode down the dark road. "Only I know of the location of Pharaoh Atemu's tomb. Shortly before he was sent to the afterlife, some archaeologists discovered it and I was put in charge of investigating it. It was his, I have no doubt in my mind that it was, and so because of it I had my team seal it so that no one could use the information inside for any evil purposes… or steal anything from it." She gave a glance in Bakura's direction in the rear view mirror. ""I'm not completely sure, but I do remember something similar to a resurrection chamber near his burial chamber, and there were several old documents in the Pharaoh's treasure room. That is where we might find the answer to our problems."

Yami Bakura cocked an eyebrow. "Of this you are certain, Ishizu? And what if we cannot find this area or these scrolls that you speak of?"

"Then there must be some answer to our predicament with Samira. A way to stop Samira, or perhaps send her to the Shadow Realm, may lay within that tomb." Ishizu seemed dead-sure of this plan, but Bakura scoffed at her childish thinking, as he thought it to be.

"Can you really be so sure, Ishizu? After all, that plan is about as fallible as I am trustworthy." Anzu wasn't totally about Ishizu's plan being full of holes, but Bakura's being trustworthy was something to be considered. He was, of course, helping them now, but he was still an ex-tomb robber who had a tendency to work for the dark side, or rather **be **the dark side. Was she sure that she could trust him, even now? "Don't think that Samira won't have the brains to have dissected your plan and considered a counter-attack. I can assure you, with 100 guarantee, that she has already sent out someone to ambush us right now-"

THUD! All three of the travelers jumped at the sound of something landing on the roof of their moving jeep. For a moment all was silent and still, for everyone in the car froze to listen for any sounds of movement that might indicate if they truly were under attack, but when the absence of sound ensured both Anzu and Bakura began to peer through the sun roof's tinted glass to try and see what had hit the car.

They could see nothing but the silhouette of tree branches race past them, for the moon was full and bright enough to define their dark forms against the night sky. Beyond that, the two could see nothing that seemed out of place, and that made Anzu nervous, and Yami Bakura suspicious.

"What was that?" Anzu asked, frightened at the prospect of another mind slave coming to kill her and her friends. She prayed it not be Malik, because even though she didn't know the extent of the injuries Malik suffered at the hands of Bakura, she was sure that Samira would numb those feelings real quick.

Bakura scowled. "Something, that we can be sure of." Still staring up at the window he directed his words towards Ishizu. "Pull over. I believe we have a hitch hiker, and I have the insatiable urge to kick his ass off the jeep and in the woods with the bears." Without further provoking Ishizu obeyed Yami Bakura's request, and the jeep slowed until it finally crawled to a halt on the edge of the empty road. The curator put the car in park, and then wheeled around to face her passengers in the back seat.

"Alright, while the Spirit of the Ring rids of this mind slave, or whatever foul creature has landed on my jeep, Anzu and I shall remain in the car. If you need assistance-"

"Which I won't, Ishizu, sine I am not nearly as fragile as my hikari", Bakura intervened, to Ishizu's annoyance. She sighed heavily and continued.

"But if you **do**, which you **might**", she added as she raised a hand to silence the protesting tomb robber. "We will try to help you to the extent of our abilities."

Yami Bakura snorted. "Yes, **you **shall assist **me**. That's a laugh." In a second he had out his newly acquired sword from the museum in his hand, as though it manifested out of thin air itself. "All I need is my deck and my blade, and victory shall be as good as mine."

"Oh yes! I was meaning to remind you about that", Ishizu interrupted, so that Bakura would finally pay her some respectable attention. "That sword that you possess… that once belonged to Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen. It once belonged to the great Pharaoh that you so despised." Anzu thought that the tomb robber's eyes would go wild with rage and ditch the sword out the window in a heart beat, but to her shock he simply let out a chilling cackle.

"Aah, that bastard's sword, eh?" He looked down at it with his sharp brown eyes, and spoke as though talking to it instead of them. "Hmm, no wonder I wanted to steal you so badly…." And then he cackled again. Anzu could only grin. _Yep, that's the King of Thieves for you. Always unpredictable._

"So, aren't you going to find out what landed on my car, tomb robber?" Ishizu asked slyly, and at hearing this Bakura stopped laughing and resumed a face of both clever and devilish qualities.

"No need to be so much in a rush, Ishizu. I want to enjoy life a little longer before I put it on the line for the likes of you." With that, Bakura opened the car door on his side, closed it with a strong thud, and then began to walk around it towards the other side, which faced the road.

"I hope nothing gets him out there", Anzu said to Ishizu as her cerulean eyes followed him around the jeep, and towards the dark road on her side of the car. "There's no telling what could be out there, just waiting to ambush us for Samira's sake."

"Anzu, don't worry. This is the great thieve who nearly wiped out all of Egypt with his 'humble' presence. I'm sure that one assassin can't be much harder." The Egyptologist gave the girl a nod of reassurance. "Besides, it may have just been a loose tree branch or some wild animal that landed on my jeep, and we could be assuming it to be of a greater evil."

Sure enough, Ishizu's words of comfort seemed to dictate the situation perfectly as Bakura, after he walked around the car, as though circling his prey, several times came back with an annoyed grimace upon his pale face.

"Nothing! Not even a sign of something that I could kill." He trudged nonchalantly back towards the jeep, up to Ishizu's window as the curator pulled it down to hear what he was saying. "If it was an animal I could have at least tortured it somewhat, but there isn't a sign of anything hitting the jeep." He sighed wistfully at the thought of torturing the small raccoon that he would have liked to have punished for making them panic so. Or at least for making Anzu and Ishizu panic, sine the great King of Thieves **never **panics. "I will assume then that we stopped this little joy ride over noth-"

All of a sudden, a dark figure sped from behind the jeep and tackled Yami Bakura, sending him flying into the street.

"BAKURA!" Anzu shouted, and she was about to open up her car door to see if he was alright when Ishizu stopped her.

"Anzu no! That's just what Samira wants. This mind slave will kill you the moment you get in his sights."

"But Ishizu, we have to help the tomb robber!"

Ishizu grimaced. "We'll just have trust that he can fight this man off on his own."

Bakura got up, a bit dizzy from the surprise attack that was just pulled on him. _That bastard! I didn't even see him coming! I, the King of Thieves, didn't see him coming!_ He was hardly injured in terms of his physical body, though he couldn't say much else for his ego; still, he had a mind slave to slaughter, and that is what he was here to do. Quickly he rebounded back up, looking all around him for the assassin to show.

The road was quiet… too quiet. With his guard up the Spirit began to stalk about, his blade gripped firmly in his hand as his brown eyes glanced around for any signs of movement. Then, out of nowhere, he felt something sharp hit him in his back. He winced at the pain as he fell slightly, getting back up instantly once again to see that still, no one was there. He growled menacingly.

"You bastard…" he hissed under his breath. All was silent for a moment as Bakura stayed still, waiting to feel the slightest gut feeling that would tell him of the assassin's presence. Sure enough, he felt the mind slave just landing behind him, a hiss of hair sounding as his feet touched the pavement and the sound of cloth billowing in the wind.

_Found you. _Yami Bakura twisted his body in one swift motion, turning in time to see the dark figure standing at his back, and his him with the hilt of his blade. The mind slave, still cloaked by the shadows, staggered further into the woods. Bakura was about to continue on with the attack, and leapt forward to strike the sword into his stomach, but something hit him in the side before he could make him move; the tomb robber fell to the ground, a bit stunned but more dumbfounded.

_What the hell!_ He looked back to see what had gotten him, and he felt his himself gasp. It was Vorse Raider, a duel monster, and Bakura knew very well that there was one person who had this in their deck. _It cannot be…_

Meanwhile, back at the jeep, Anzu watched as the giant duel monster sent Yami Bakura flying onto the ground; she finally couldn't control herself as she opened the door to the jeep.

"Anzu, wait! Come back!" Ishizu yelled frantically as she watched the brunette run off towards the battle; she opened her own door and hurried after her, hoping that the she would not end up coming in too late….

Anzu saw Bakura staggering to get back up on his feet, making a valiant effort but still shaking a bit from the hit. She rushed over to his side, and tried to help him stand.

"Are you okay, Bakura!"

"I'm fine!" He shoved her arms away as he stood tall and acted as though he was hardly hurt. "Get back in the jeep. I cannot, and will not guarantee your safety if you get in the way like this."

"Yeah but-" Anzu was about to reply, but something stopped her. It was a cold laugh, a cackle from down the street a ways. It was the figure, as he trudged with a gliding gracefulness that showed how much he couldn't feel his injuries. She could only see his silhouette, and with it came a startled gasp of realization.

"Oh, don't tell me…" Bakura breathed, but his thoughts were soon unfortunately answered as the assassin stepped into the light of the moon. Anzu felt the breath halt in her throat as she watched his face become illuminated by its brilliance, and with it Anzu could not believe what she was seeing. Standing before them, in his purple trench coat, was the CEO of a company, the arch rival of the King of Games, and now another mind slave of Princess Samira.

Anzu had to blink twice to believe what she was seeing. It was Seto Kaiba!

---

Author's Note: _Aah, you were all wondering where our favorite cold-hearted CEO went off to, right? … Maybe not, but now you do! Hope you enjoyed this little bit of shock and can't wait to give you the next chappie!_


	22. Icy Blue Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Wow, some of you people really think that Kaiba is a real ass, don't you? Oh, don't be so hard on the guy! If he gets hurt feelings then he may run away from work and not give us anymore of his 'I don't believe in magic' speeches. I would be very upset if that were to happen… but not as upset as I will be when YGO goes off the TV… sniffle_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. Any dialogue that is in quotes and in italics is special, as you shall soon see… and no it's not Atemu!_

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 22: Icy Blue Darkness…**

If there was ever a time that Anzu wished that this whole incident was simply a dream and that she would wake up in her bed back at home, it was now.

Seto Kaiba stood before her and Bakura, as normal as he could ever look considering that he flaunted a dark purple trench coat that billowed behind him. His movements were a bit staggered, as if he were dangling loosely from a set of strings high above his head; his eyes stared at them with their usual icy blueness and held the same coldness as they always did. He began to move towards them, his arms hanging from his body as though they were useless appendages, but in a second he straightened his poise and looked at them with the deadliest gaze Anzu ever saw.

_What's with Kaiba? And why is **he** after me too_? It seemed bad enough that she had the evil Princess Samira trying to stick a knife in her throat, but now Kaiba as well? What kind of motive did he have for ambushing them and attempting to attack Bakura? There was really none that she could truly think up at the moment, unless….

"He's under Samira's mind control." Anzu glanced over to see that Bakura was speaking to her, though his eyes never left Kaiba. "Can you not it in his eyes? They are clouded by her will. And the blue Millennium Symbol is hidden under his hair." Sure enough, when Anzu reluctantly stared deep into the eyes of the CEO, she could see that Yami Bakura was right; the once sharp eyes that Kaiba was so prominently known for were blank and absence of any shine, yet his gaze was still oddly intelligent and almost looked as though he was thinking on his own. If any doubt was in Anzu's mind after peering into his eyes, she could always see the faint glow of blue that was covered so discriminately under his thick locks of dark brown hair to hide the obvious marking of the malicious princess.

"But…how is that possible?" Anzu questioned nervously. "How could Samira have Kaiba too?"

"It appears that Samira is far more clever than we anticipated", a voice said from behind; both Anzu and Bakura turned to see Ishizu walk up to them, her jet black hair shifting in the light breeze as she approached. Bakura snickered in disgust.

"I believe I pointed that out earlier, or does no one listen to me?" He sneered, giving them both a glare as Ishizu stood next to them. A mutual silence held between them, but it was interrupted by a familiar yet alien voice that flew through the quiet air.

"_Hahahahaha! So this is how you greet an old friend, eh_?" All three of them wheeled their eyes towards the speaker, unaware that there was another person besides them and Kaiba. But upon closer inspection they were shocked to discover that the voice belonged to the mind slave that was once the CEO.

"How-How is he speaking on his own?" Anzu asked, her voice quivering a bit as Kaiba smirked. "Is Samira speaking through him, like Malik used to do to his slaves?" Bakura shook his head.

"No, he is speaking on his own accord. It looks like Samira has only brainwashed Kaiba: not completely controlling him, but poisoning his mind with lies and allowing him to think and act on his own so that she doesn't have to dictate his every move." Anzu wasn't sure if she actually understood all of what Bakura had just explained, but she understood the basic point: Kaiba didn't need Samira to help him do his job, just to give him a command and he would figure it out on his own. And that thought scared Anzu.

"_Frightened, Anzu_?" He put his hand inside his trench coat and removed from it a dagger, its sharp, slick edge catching the moonlight in such a way that it almost looked like a fragment of a star. "_As you should be… my mistress wishes you dead tonight_…."

Bakura placed himself slightly in front of Anzu to act as some sort of defense; his chocolate brown eyes pierced a hole through Kaiba's head. "If she wants you to kill anyone this night, Kaiba, then you will have to get past me first." At first Kaiba didn't respond, showing only a blank stare of recognition as though asserting the situation, and then his empty eyes were filled with a malicious power and his lips cracked into a devilish grin.

"_Heh… I consent to your challenge, Bakura", _he hissed menacingly._ "After all, I still have a grudge against you for when you challenged me to that duel on top of my company's headquarters before. Now…"_ he pulled out a dueling deck from within his trench coat. "_…I only wish to return the offer."_

"What's he talking about, Bakura?" Anzu inquired, and to answer the Spirit simply shrugged.

"Before you and your little friends went into the Pharaoh's Memory World, I challenged Kaiba to a duel on top of Kaiba Corp. headquarters. No big deal."

Anzu thought about that for a moment. "Wow… I didn't know Kaiba would actually accept a challenge from you, Bakura."

"He didn't have much of a choice. I had Mokuba, so Kaiba had to duel me."

"…oh."

"_So, are you ready, Bakura?_" Kaiba sneered, his icy blue eyes moving between the white-haired teen and the brunette beside him. "_My mistress is impatient, as I'm sure you know._"

"Hmph… yes, I know that very well. Let's start this duel."

Anzu looked at Kaiba as he put the dagger back into the trench coat, then using his free hand to shuffle the deck, just as Bakura did next to her. She watched his movements carefully, still fearing the weapon that he concealed, and what would happen if Bakura were to lose. The shudder that trailed up her spine came and went, and then she simply began to take in Kaiba's features. He seemed calm, sure of himself, and not at all worried; however, Anzu could probably blame Samira for that, since she could have easily wiped fear out of Kaiba's mind if she felt that it would hinder the assassination. She was looking at his face at first, trying to peer past the blue eyes, hoping perhaps that a spark of Kaiba's will might still lie within, but then her cerulean gaze traveled down to his arm, where she noticed that something was missing.

"Hey, isn't Kaiba supposed to have a duel disk?" Her other companions glanced up to see that Anzu was right; there was no duel disk gracing Kaiba's right arm. If that were the case, then how did Kaiba think he was going to fight Bakura? And even more startling, how did he summon Vorse Raider, who still stood near his master waiting for the battle to begin.

"_I think the answer to that is obvious_", Kaiba hissed as he drew five cards from his deck. "_My mistress is very generous, and has provided me with another way for me to duel you, Bakura._" Anzu thought about what Kaiba said for a second, and then gasped when she realized what he meant.

"You mean-"

"_Hahahahaha! Yes, you finally catching on Anzu_!" Out of nowhere, wisps of what looked like fog began to settle in around them, though when Anzu saw it she instantly recognized the substance. It was dark, with black and purple hues and looked like some sort of noxious gas; as it clouded around them, Anzu felt the cold touch of the smoke, and she could only think of one word to describe it:

It was Shadow Realm magic.

"Anzu, Ishizu", Bakura said as the shadows began to crowd the air around the three. "Stay off to the side of the road. I refuse to take responsibility for either of you if you get attacked by a monster."

Anzu gave him a nod, and then began to turn to her left, where the curb to the road was. As she and Ishizu began to move away from the tomb robber, Anzu turned around to look at him, and he looked back at her.

"Be careful, Spirit." He snorted defiantly.

"I don't need your advice" he spat, but Anzu still smiled at his arrogance and walked off to the safety of the roadside.

"_It is your move_", Kaiba announced. "_I have already made the first move, by summoning Vorse Raider in attack mode._"

"Very well, Kaiba", Bakura said before examining his own cards and plotting his first move. "I set one monster face down, and another card face down." He held the cards over the air, and at first nothing happened, but a second later larger images of the two face down cards appeared in front of the tomb robber, the two cards gone from his hand as they took the form of the cards before him.

"_Playing up defense? I knew you were too scared to attempt an attack_", Kaiba mocked, and Bakura growled in response to being insulted. "_But that won't matter anyway, since I'm about to blow your cards away. Vorse Raider, attack Bakura's face down card!" _The menacing duel monster swiftly obeyed, taking its large ax and swinging it down so fast that the air whistled like a banshee's cry. The card instantly split in two, and just before it faded away into the shadows, the image of the monster underneath appeared.

"I use Man-Eater Bug's special ability!" Bakura stated, moving his arm so that he pointed at Vorse Raider. "When it is attacked, I can destroy any monster! Say goodbye to your Vorse Raider, Kaiba!" As if hit by an unseen force, Vorse Raider toppled over and disintegrated into the clouds of shadow magic; Kaiba scowled as Bakura gave him a smirk of amusement.

"_That won't save you for too long, Bakura_", Kaiba shouted as he drew a card from his deck, his left hand holding his cards as his right hand as his left hand went into his coat pocket and drew a card from his deck, which he placed it in since he could not hold it. He gazed at all his cards, and then looked back up at Bakura evilly.

"_For my next move, I summon Battle Ox to the field!_" A strange light was emitted from the center of the road, from nothing but the thin shadow air, and in its place the Battle Ox appeared. "_Then I place two cards face down and end my turn. Try your best to defeat me, Bakura. You know that you shall lose_."

Bakura snickered. "Feh! That's what Samira tells you!" He drew a card from his pants pocket and added it to his hand. "I, however, have a different ending in mind. I set one monster in face down defense mode, and use this card!" From his hand Bakura set down his monster, and then showed Kaiba the spell card he was talking about. "Change of Heart!"

"That's Ryou's favorite card", Anzu said as she watched from the side of the road, standing next to Ishizu in the dark shadows of the trees. Since she was not in any immediate danger at the present moment, Anzu gave herself some time to think about the last few hours and the events that occurred then. Why was Samira, some ancient evil from five millennia ago, trying to kill her off? Why exactly was Bakura, an evil tomb robber who tried to kill the Pharaoh five millennia ago, helping her to escape and protecting her? What did she have to do with any of this? There were so many questions, for which Anzu had no answer; still, that didn't mean that she could let her guard down at any given moment. Forcing her inquiries to the back of her mind, Anzu attempted to refocus on the duel, finding it not so difficult as the battle continued.

"_Do you plan to use my Battle Ox against me?_" Kaiba said in both an amused and annoyed tone. Bakura grinned.

"Glad you're not as dumb as you sound, Kaiba." His right arm moved to point at the Battle Ox. "Now, I use Change of Heart to take control of Kaiba's monster." The Change of Heart flew through the air, it's face that of distain and slight sadness as it glided over and enveloped the Battle Ox. Both creatures vanished, and then Battle Ox appeared on Bakura's side of the field, ready to attack its former master, yet Kaiba didn't flinch at all.

"Battle Ox!" Bakura yelled. "Attack Kaiba!" The huge beast clumsily moved in for the kill, lumbering the huge ax it carried around until it was just above Kaiba's head. The ax was about to come down, when Kaiba shouted, "_I activate Magic Cylinder! With it, Battle Ox's attack will be redirected from me, to you Bakura!_" Two huge cylinders appeared over Kaiba, and as the Battle Ox let its ax fall for the devastating attack, the attack was absorbed as a stream of bright light into one of the cylinders, and then, like a flame thrower, shot the attack back at Bakura.

"GAH!" The bright beam of light illuminated all around the white-haired teen, so much so that Anzu couldn't even see him.

"Bakura!" The light didn't fade away for a moment or do, and when it did it revealed Bakura on his knees, clutching his chest as if the wind had been knocked out of him. His eyes were wide with pain and shock at first, but soon the tomb robber recovered and stood back up, a bit shaky in the beginning, but he stood nonetheless.

"_Wasn't that a blast, Bakura? I hoped you enjoyed it, because I have more of that in store for you_…."

---

Author's Note: _Hee hee… I'm so evil, using a cliffy like this. If you wanna know how the duel goes, you'll have to wait for the next update. In the mean time, though, you can send me a nice long review to tell me how much you hate me for the cliff hanger. And I'm sorry for using really old cards! That's all I can really remember them using, so don't be mean about that! I'm not good at remembering the duels…. But I do remember the harsh comments Kaiba always makes in between moves! Ha-ha… chirp chirp_

_Oh, forget it. _


	23. A Shadow's Consequence

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Oh, lookie at how close I am to getting 100 reviews! This is so momentous! You know what we need to celebrate the occasion! … Another new chappie! I hope you all enjoy this one! A lot of dueling action so be prepared to read that for the whole chapter! _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 23: A Shadow's Consequence….**

Anzu watched in horror as Bakura was hit with Battle Ox's attack, his body battle-worn and his face having a look that was mixed with shock and pain. He did stand up, but only just barely, and even though he quickly recovered after the fact that didn't stop the thumping of her nervous heart.

"Don't… think you can take me out… that easily…" Bakura wheezed, still clutching his chest as he felt the pain subside. "You don't really think that a tomb robber of my status will be knocked off the field by one little trap card, now do you Kaiba? Because if you do then that's quite pathetic."

Kaiba gave him a snort. "_You have the nerve to call me pathetic? Look at you- you can barely stand, Bakura!_ _Now make your move, so that when I'm through with you, I can make mine._" Anzu got the feeling that he wasn't just talking about the duel as he said that, his eyes traveling over to glance at her. She shivered instantly.

Bakura caught that look as he brought out another card from his pants pocket. "Already planning your victory kill, Kaiba? You know what they say here in the modern world: don't count your chickens before they hatch!" He momentarily looked at his new card, and smirked as he planned an attack.

"Now that the turn's over, Battle Ox goes back to your side of the field, Kaiba." As the Spirit said this, Battle Ox vanished in a cloud of sparkling shadow dust and reappeared on the other side of the field, standing near his master. "And that will be all for now, just to keep you guessing."

Kaiba gave Bakura a slight glare, and then proceeded to draw a card from his deck. "_I summon Mystic Horseman to the field_!" In a blurry flash of light, which was alien in this world of shadows, the Mystic Horseman materialized, standing next to the Battle Ox. "_And with it, I play Polymerization! This card allows me to fuse two of my monsters together to form one that will exceed them both! In doing so, I fuse Battle Ox and Mystic Horseman to bring forth-_" another bright flash of light consumed Kaiba's monsters as they were molded together in the brightness- "_the Rabid Horseman!_"

"Oh no! Bakura!" Anzu shouted as she watched the new creature manifest from the brilliant light. From watching Kaiba duel before she knew that this card was a worthy adversary and it was now up to Bakura to find a way out of this one. And strangely, she assumed that he had, since he was now laughing malevolently at a bewildered Kaiba.

"_What's so funny_!"

"Nothing against you, Kaiba, but I activated a trap when you had both of your monsters on the field." Kaiba still looked out of place.

"_What_!"

"Kaiba, I activated Just Desserts! It takes off 500 hundred Life Points for every monster on the field, and since I activated this when you summoned Mystic Horseman, you lose 1000 Life Points, or, in terms of the Shadow Realm, a lot of life energy!" The trap card that Bakura set on the field was already up, showing Kaiba the large maroon colored creature in the picture. Then it flashed a bright purple color, and Anzu, Ishizu, and Bakura watched as Kaiba was hit with the magic of this card, his screams overwhelmed by the choking pain. Once the light cleared, the trio could se Kaiba on his hands and knees, gasping for the air knocked out of his lungs. Anzu was expecting to watch Kaiba stagger and stumble about, trying to stand, and yet in less than half the time it took Bakura to get back up, the CEO was already on his feet, and ready to attack.

"_Hahahahahahaha! Did you really think **that **petty excuse for an attack would wound me! My mistress heals my wounds quicker than you can draw your next card, so I cannot feel the pain at all! Too bad for you, I'm sure you would have enjoyed seeing me roll about in such agony, wouldn't you_!" He looked back at his hand again, and then continued to speak. "_Well, once I'm done with you, you'll be able to watch me kill Anzu, and seeing her breathe her last breath may bring you some enjoyment, thief_!"

"Get on with your move Kaiba!" Bakura quickly sneered, showing his teeth as he shouted to him. Kaiba simply smiled.

"_Ah yes, my move…how could I forget? Oh yes, tormenting you is so pleasurable that's it easy to just keep going, but I have to defeat you, which I shall._ _Rabid Horseman, destroy Bakura's face down card!_" The ugly monster flew forward, swinging its weapon into the air to land directly on top of Bakura's card. It broke in two, disappearing into the mist, leaving only a second to reveal its nature.

"Thanks to you, Kaiba, I can activate the effect of Morphing Jar! Sent your entire hand to the Graveyard!" Reluctantly, the CEO held his hand out to the Shadows, and is a hand reached out from the mist and took them, they were gone. "You can draw five more cards to replace them- not that that's going to do you much good. As I told you before, Kaiba, I plan to win this, and I won't break a promise to myself!"

As Kaiba took his new hand from out of his coat pocket, he beamed at the cards held before him. "_You just might have to, Bakura. You just might have to_…."

"If you're done spitting out gibberish, then it's my move now!" The tomb robber drew his next card, and sighed. "I guess I'll just have to wait til next turn to kill you, Kaiba. I place one monster face down, and I end my turn." With his field only having one monster card, and no traps or spells, Anzu had to force herself to have some faith in Bakura- whatever facedown card he had on the field, must be good if Bakura had it out. Or what if that was all he had and it would do nothing to prevent the next attack? She only hoped that he had something good for the next turn's defense.

Bakura was hoping the same thing. He knew that his card, the Mystical Elf, would keep him from being attacked by Kaiba's Rabid Horseman, which had 2000 attack points compared to Mystical Elf's defense of 2000; it would end as a draw, with neither monster being destroyed, and would buy Bakura some time for another assault. _That should stop Kaiba for a bit_, he thought pleasantly. _And that might help me out a little later._

That thought, along with all of Anzu's hoping, was soon forgotten as a small cackle emerged from Kaiba's mouth, tiny at first but soon growing in sound as he pushed his head back to look at the sky. He continued to laugh, and Bakura was ready to go strangle him when he finally stopped and gave them all a menacing glare with his cold blue eyes.

"**_That's_ **_the best you can do, Bakura!" _He started to cackle again, if only to annoy the tomb robber more. "_To think you proved to be some sort of challenge to me in our last duel! It is a shame, since I have to end this now._" Bakura looked a bit scared, but he masked that quickly with a curious scowl.

"Oh really, Kaiba? And how do you plan to make that happen?" Anzu watched as the Spirit stared at the CEO, giving him a death glare that didn't make a difference to Kaiba. He seemed too sure of himself, too sure that he was going to win… Anzu prayed that wasn't the case.

Kaiba removed a card from his hand, and then held it up so that they all could see. "_I play the card known as Diffusion, and I'm going to use it to separate my Rabid Horseman back to being the Mystic Horseman and Battle Ox!_" The huge monster was surrounded by the bright light of Shadow Magic, and as it became immersed in it Anzu could see its form split back into the two monsters that made it originally. Bakura smirked.

"What good will that do you? Now you have two weak monsters in place of your strong one. Just what will that do for your little plan?" Bakura said sarcastically, though deep down he hoped that Kaiba wasn't planning the move he thought he was trying to do….

"_It will do a lot, considering that I need two cards to summon my new monster_..."

"Wait", Anzu whispered, and then more loudly spoke. "No! He's not trying to summon-"

"I think he is!" Ishizu shouted.

"_The Blue Eyes White Dragon, come forth!_" The two monsters on Kaiba's field vanished into a vortex of light, and with their absence came the roar of the mighty dragon the mind slave was about to summon. First came out a sharp-clawed foot, then a bit of the tail; in a dramatic second the whole body of the mystic creature emerged from the portal. Its scales shimmered with a holy brilliance, its eyes two pools of sapphire flames, and its cry one of prowess and ultimate superiority.

Anzu felt like her face was glued in perpetual fear as she watched the powerful monster come into the game; the only thought in her mind was how Bakura would be destroyed by the next attack. But with his face down monster, it would take Kaiba until next turn to devastate the tomb robber, and by then Bakura would surely have a comeback ready.

_He still has time, he still has time…oh God I hope he still has time!_

"Heh, that's good Kaiba", Bakura snarled as he grimaced. "But not good enough. After all, you still have to get through my face down card, and if you haven't noticed Blue Eyes can only attack once."

There was a hint of silence, and then Kaiba began to laugh again. "_Bakura, you think I forgot about that? How dumb do you think I am?"_

"If I told you that, you'd want to me dead before next turn."

Kaiba scowled. "_It doesn't matter anyway. I said that this duel was over, and I meant what I said. I now use the card known as Monster Reborn, to bring back Vorse Raider from the Graveyard!_" He held the magic card up in the air, and as it started to take affect, Vorse Raider emerged from the shadows, its ax ready for battle. "_And I use a card called Sword of Deep-Seated, which will raise Vorse Raider's attack up by 500 points, to a total of 2400! Now, no matter what the defense of your card, I can still force my way through!_" Anzu held her breath in fear; now she knew that this was the end.

"BAKURA!"

"_Vorse Raider, attack his face down card!_" The ax came swinging down again, and as it hit its mark, the Mystical Elf was shown sitting in defense mode, crying in agony as the ax went straight through her. "_Now, it's my Blue Eyes White Dragon's turn to demolish you!_" He snickered, and then cackled away at his victory. "_Hahahahahaha! Oh, and in case you haven't been paying attention, this should bring your life points to zero, and give me the victory. Blue eyes, launch your attack! Finish him off!_"

The dragon gave a battle cry that made the hair on Anzu's neck stand on end, and then she watched in alarm as the Blue Eyes White Dragon initiated the assault, a beam of white light forming in his jaws. As it built up, becoming brighter and deadlier, Bakura looked over at Anzu and Ishizu. The recognition of defeat lined his pale face, and he gave them one last scowl, before the beam of white lightening hit him at full force.

---

Author's Note: _You readers are going to kill me now, aren't you? Another cliffy, for the second time in a row… wow, I am becoming a serious fan fiction suspense writer! Maybe this should be under suspense… is that even a category? I'll have to check on that. In the mean time, though, sent me a **really** long review, and tell me how much you are **really** hating me for this. I'd appreciate it, no matter how weird that sounds._


	24. A Gift From Him

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _I have now gone past 100 reviews! Yeah! Cheer! A milestone has been hit and demolished! borrows Elfbrat 18's pom-poms and starts doing Maridel's happy dance And, as I feel needed to do, I shall mention the name of my 100 th reviewer, who is…_

_drum roll……_

_Ancient Dreams!_

_Congrats on being giving me my 100 th reviwers! Now, on with the show! (I hope to get another hundred after this, so help make my dream's come true!) _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 24: A Gift From Him….**

"BAKURA!"

Anzu felt her eyes go wide as she watched the Spirit get hit with the Blue Eyes White Dragon's deadly white lightening, his body completely immersed in the devastating light force as the dragon released the direct attack. Her breathing stopped, her eyes ceased to blink… she felt that time had slowed as she watched the horrific scene unfold. The stream of lightening didn't stop coming for a few moments, the on-slaughter almost unending, until the light began to wear down, and as it weakened Anzu finally got to glimpse at the ancient tomb robber.

She wanted to scream but her voice was lodged in her throat, for he looked so whipped and beaten that she was surprised that he was still standing. It wasn't really standing though, since the upper half of his body was slumped over as his legs just barely kept him from falling. His skin and clothes were smoking, though there was no fire, and burned marks laced his body in various spots. His hair looked a bit windswept and limp as it hung loosely off his shoulders, and his face was covered with his hair. She couldn't see his expression, but Anzu got a small inkling that it was one of useless rage. Kaiba, though possessed, still acted just as he would with any opponent who he just trounced, laughing maniacally and standing up as straight as a telephone pole, his purple trench coat billowing behind him as though a fierce wind was going by. He began to walk towards Bakura, and even though the duel was over, the Shadow Realm fog ceased to lift and Kaiba's monsters were still on the field, though they hid more in the shadows as though planning the next attack. Kaiba stood over Bakura, and Anzu watched in disbelief as Bakura's body trembled as he attempted to look at Kaiba face-to-face. His weak body refused to move, despite how much his muscles shuddered and convoluted, so eventually he stopped trying and waited for Kaiba to speak, after the CEO finally finished laughing.

"_Hahahaha! I have to admit, it was fun handing you defeat Bakura! I have other business to attend to right now, and I don't need you in my way… though, in your condition I doubt that you could even lift a finger on me, much less hurt me!_"

Bakura snarled, though it was weaker and more like a small dog growling. "Don't… think you can… just destroy me… the King of Thieves… so easily… I will get you… Kaiba…!"

Kaiba gave him a smirk that showed off his white teeth. "_And what can you do! In this state you are completely helpless! I can slit your throat right here if I so desired! But…my mistress doesn't wish you dead, only out of her way._"

"Hm, how…k-kind of her", Bakura hissed. "So… are you going… to send me… to the Shadow Realm then? After… all, this was… a Shadow Game, was… it not?"

"_Indeed it was a Shadow Game, but my Queen doesn't want you there either. Just out of the way. And so,_" Kaiba grabbed Bakura by the collar of his white and blue striped shirt; Bakura winced at the sharp action, but couldn't react as he hung limply in the air, "_I bid you farewell, Bakura! Hahahahahahaha!_" The president of KaibaCorp. kept Bakura in the air for a second, and then, with almost superhuman strength, sent him flying into a tree down the road. The tomb robber shot like a missile through the shadowy air, and though the tree that he hit was a silhouette in Anzu's view, she could see Bakura's frail form smack into it with a thundering crash, making her voice come back out of her throat.

"BAKURA! NO!" She wanted to run to him, to see if he was alright, but her legs were shivering with fear as her mind just registered the latest turn of events: Kaiba wants her dead, Bakura challenged him to a duel, lost, and now Kaiba will attempt to kill her once again. She felt eyes on her, and she knew all too well who they belonged to, but that didn't stop her from turning her gaze from Bakura's unmoving form, to the mercenary who was starting to advance upon her.

"_Now, Anzu…_", he said, his hand finding the sharp dagger in his trench coat and holding it in his hand to display its slick edge. "_It's time to play a game._"

"Anzu! Come on! Run!" Ishizu, who had almost blended in with the trees behind her while the duel had taken place, grabbed Anzu by the wrist and started to run, pulling the terrified teen with her as Kaiba continued to walk calmly in their direction. Anzu's body was tired from all the recent excitement, but as soon as she started to sprint the adrenaline started to pump again, telling her body that they were being hunted once again. She panted heavily in the cold night air, her body chilled but she perspired nonetheless; her brown hair fluttered in a frenzy behind her, as did her heart as she realized that Kaiba was closing in, regardless of the fact that they were running and Kaiba was moving at a leisurely pace.

Ishizu was leading them back to the jeep; Anzu knew that if they at least made it there then they might have a chance at escaping Kaiba's wrath, though that was no guarantee considering the speed he was moving at. Ishizu continued to grip Anzu's wrist as they dashed, making Anzu lose all feeling in it, and just when Anzu was about to tell Ishizu to let go the curator did so unexpectedly. She stopped running, and Anzu did so to see what the matter was.

"Ishizu, we have to go! Why have you stopped!" Anzu yelled nervously, hoping that this wasn't going to go how she thought it was going to go….

"Anzu", Ishizu began, "you know what I have to do. The keys are in the ignition, so get going, now!"

Anzu blinked, startled. "W-What!"

"You can drive, right?" Ishizu said, composed. Anzu nodded absently, still in a bit of shock at the proposal she knew Ishizu was giving her. "Good, then go! You need to escape!"

"Wait, you're not-"

"I have to hold Kaiba back- it's the only way. Samira wants you for some reason, and though we don't know why there is no time to take risks! You must be some kind of threat to her, and we need to keep you alive if that is the case! I'll keep Kaiba busy as long as I can, but that won't be too long, considering how powerful he has now become. Our only hope is that you can get away in my jeep, so go, now! We haven't much time!" Sure enough, Ishizu was right; Kaiba was approaching quiet quickly, and there was no telling how much longer it would take for him to reach them.

"A-Alright Ishizu, I'm going!" Anzu shouted, and then turned back around so that she could hurry over towards the jeep. Ishizu watched her go out of the corner of her cerulean eyes, and then sighed as she prayed for the girl's safety.

"If Anzu can make it to Egypt, or at least to somewhere safe, we might still have a chance", she whispered to herself and to her surprise she heard the odd rustle of clothes in front of her; mainly the sound of a trench coat whipping in the wind. She swung her gaze around to see Kaiba standing directly in front of her, his icy azure eyes bearing into her own.

"Get out of my way, Ishizu", he seethed, his words stiff and sharp like the blade he now carried; the curator refused to flinch, however, as she stood her ground.

"I won't let you win, Kaiba. Samira will never kill Anzu!" She declared, but even as she spoke this the CEO raised his hand up and slapped her across the face. She was sent into the asphalt, stumbling after the brutal hit, and though she struggled to get up quickly Kaiba didn't give her a chance to recover as he picked her up by the collar of her dress and flung her into a large oak tree on the roadside. She collided with it, the force of the blow knocking her out as she fell like a rag doll to the grass-covered earth. Kaiba smirked at his progress, and then turned his gaze to the jeep.

"_This time you can't escape, Anzu._"

Anzu hoped she could even make it to the car in time; she sprinted as fast as she could go in her high-heel boots, her legs beginning to ache as the adrenaline was starting to wear off and fatigue began to set in. She could see her breath is puffs of mist as she ran through them, though they were barely visible against the Shadow Realm fog, and she felt very thankful that her legs were strong from all the ballet practice she had been taking recently, for the jeep was now only a couple of feet away.

She approached it, still in a run, and reached out with her hand for the door handle of the driver's side door, but she had just began to pull the door open when she heard a familiar roar over her head. She looked up cautiously, and gasped as she saw the Blue Eyes White Dragon hover over her and the jeep. Its body poised for an attack, it formed the white lightening attack in its jaws and released it directly at her.

She had almost no time to react, but she soon found out that she wasn't the target- the jeep was. It exploded like a car bomb had gone off inside, sending a wave of air at Anzu that made her fly through the air and land with a thud on the asphalt. Pieces of the car went soaring through the air like she did, and when she finally felt the pain of hitting her head on the road lessen she glanced up to see the jeep a smoldering collection of car parts, to the point where if it wasn't on the roadside Anzu might have assumed it to be some kind of bonfire. It wasn't a normal bonfire though, as it was the breeding ground for blue and white fames instead of the golden ones she was so used to seeing.

The air around her held an eerie sort of quiet, so much so that Anzu began to get nervous. There was no sign of Kaiba anywhere, and to not know where he was going to strike her down made her tremble with fear. Her head jerked from one side to the other, searching for a sign of him, and when she couldn't see the CEO she tried to get up so that she could run instead. The instant she attempted to stand, however, something kicked her in the back and pushed her back into the asphalt.

"_So, thought you could elude my Queen, did you Anzu?_" Her head was spinning from the last attack, but even with her new injuries Anzu still managed to turn her head up off the ground, so that she could see Seto Kaiba loom over her menacingly. "_No one gets away from Samira and lives. Remember that when I kill you._"

"K-Kaiba… don't… do this", she stammered, and she found it hard to even keep her head up to glance at him. That wasn't necessary though, or at least it wasn't after Kaiba kicked her in the side so that she rolled over onto her back. She tried to move away from him, pushing he body away with her legs like a kid does when they slide on their backs along the floor for fun, but Kaiba got down on his knees and placed him left hand just above her shoulder on the ground, pinning her from squirming away.

"_Don't do what, Anzu? Not follow my Queen's orders!_" He let out a cackle that made Anzu shiver. "_Don't be ridiculous. I live to serve my Queen, and if getting my hands dirty with blood is what I must do, then so be it. In fact, it doesn't bother me in the least._

"_Now_", he whispered, as the dagger was removed from his belt- where he had placed it temporarly when he had to deal with Ishizu- and place into his right hand. "_I think that it is time… to end your pitiful life so that I can return to my mistress a hero in her eyes. Goodbye, Anzu. Hope the afterlife is better than this one!_" He pulled his arm back to gain momentum, and then plunged the knife forward to meet Anzu's pale neck.

_Hold on to me, love_

_You know I can't stay long_

_All I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid_

Anzu had closed her eyes, unwilling to look at Kaiba as she faced her death. She thought about Yugi, about Joey and Tristan, about everyone who she had just let down.

_Can you hear me?_

_Can you feel me in your arms?_

She had no idea what purpose she was to be in this fight, or Samira even wanted her dead, but it didn't matter now. Now she was about to die, with a dagger in her throat, and a pain in her heart. She let a tear slip down her cheek.

_I'm sorry everyone. I couldn't save you… please forgive me_….

She saw a bright light shining past her eyelids, like the sun light when your eyes are closed, and she initially thought that she was about to see the light that everyone says is what you're supposed to go into to reach heaven. She opened her eyes, expecting to see a bright light in front of her, and her body non-existent, but she was slightly surprised to not see any sort of light in her direct line of view.

Instead the light was coming from her chest, from the cartouche that was given to her by Atemu. The light was blinding and golden like the sun, and it send warmth and comfort through Anzu's body like a gentle wave. She also noticed that **her **cartouche was glowing as well, although it had the light of the full moon on an autumn night in comparison to Atemu's sun light. They shimmered in unison, illuminating the area around them as if a spot light had exploded there.

Anzu heard a grunt above her, and she looked up to see that Kaiba was still there, looming over her, and with the dagger at mid-thrust. He seemed paralyzed, like he was unable to move, and his blue eyes were wide with shock as they darted around him. Then they landed on the twin cartouches, and his eyes seemed mesmerized by the glowing light, to the point where Anzu assumed that he was spell bound by the light.

All of a sudden the light grew brighter; so bright that Anzu had to close her eyes against the fierce brilliance. The whole world faded into a white-wash around her, and then she realized that her eyes weren't closed as she stared at the vast expanse of white that surrounded her. She was also standing, and she had no wounds on her body at all; everything seemed so strange, like a dream of sorts, but she had no idea what was going on….

And then she saw him.

_Holding my last breath_

_Safe inside myself_

_Are all my thoughts of you_

_Sweet raptured light_

_It ends here tonight_

There was no mistaking it; it had to be him, the one and the only.

Atemu stood with his back to her, slightly off in the distance and in his pharaoh's outfit on. His purple cloak billowed in a wind that wasn't there, his white tunic against his darkly tan skin, his multi-colored hair spiked out in all directions and his blonde bangs framing his face. His head was turned towards her, so that his back was facing her but his head was at a side profile, his amethyst eyes peering to the right at her. There was a slight smile on the edge of his lips, and his right hand was up and giving her a thumbs-up.

"A-Atemu…?" Anzu breathed, unable to believe what she was seeing as reality. Suddenly she felt a warmth pulse from her chest, and the light familiar chiming noise she had grown so fond of hearing echoed through the air, and at its sound Anzu instantly looked down at her chest where Atemu's cartouche was shimmering.

But that wasn't all; her cartouche was shining as well. Gold and silver, sun and moon- both were like two opposites, two halves of one consecrated whole. Alone they were normal, but together they had a power mysterious to all; they both began to glow in unison, so bright that even in the white washed world that Anzu was in looked grey in comparison. Anzu was about to shut her eyes, but the light show was over before it even began, and she noticed that there was something etched into the gold surface of her cartouche.

_I'll miss the winter_

_A world of fragile things_

_Look for me in the white forest_

_Hiding in a hollow tree (come find me)_

She gasped at the unexpected and unexplainable writing that now decorated her cartouche. It was one clear, simple word; one that she knew her whole life, and now it was permanently written around her neck.

_I know you hear me_

It was her name: Anzu.

_I can taste it in your tears_

A swish of air graced her face, and as Anzu looked up she was startled to see Atemu now standing in front of her, looking first at her pendant, and then back at her. He smiled as he looked into her azure eyes, and she felt her breath leave her as she heard him speak; it was the deep baritone voice she had fallen in love with when she first heard it come out of Yugi, unknowing that it was someone else, but it proved to be the one person whom she would willingly give her heart to, the pharaoh who would capture her attention and remain in her heart forever.

"_So that you won't forget yourself in the battles to come_."

_Holding my last breath_

_Safe inside myself_

_Are all my thoughts of you_

_Sweet raptured light_

_It ends here tonight_

He started to fade into the white light that enveloped them, looking like a ghost as his seemingly corporeal body turned into a wisp of lightly colored smoke in front of her. Anzu wanted to cry out to him, telling him to stay, to help her in this crazy yet deadly fight, but her voice was silent as she watched wistfully at the vanishing pharaoh. The white world around her began to fade away as well, giving way to the dark world of night that she was in only a moment before.

_Closing your eyes to disappear_

_You pray your dreams will leave you here_

_But still you wake and know the truth_

_No one's there_

"Atemu!" She shouted, her voice now free as she began to feel the cool autumn wind flutter her hair and chill her bare legs. But he was already gone, as was the world of white, and now she was left all alone.

_Say goodnight_

_Don't be afraid_

_Calling me, calling me as you fade to black_

---

Author's Note: _Woo! That took a while! I know that I'm gonna get a lot of long reviews for this chappie (I hope I do, because that was REALLY, REALLY long to type! Hope you all enjoyed that little surprise, and listen I know I sound all selfish about these reviews… I sound like one of those managers who are all about the money… but this IS my payment… well anywho it's all about you guys and me giving you this special gift!_

_Thanks to all of you! Here is the list of people (who I can remember off the top of my head, if I don't mention you then please don't get mad!) who have been regular reviewers throughout this story of mine:_

… _Maridel, Elfbrat 18, Ancient Dreams, Dawn 17, cutehelenjames, and Pharaohyamifan._

_You guys are awesome! Thanks! See you next update! _


	25. What comes after

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Omigod, I am the luckiest fanficcy writer in the world! I got 10 reviews for one chappie, and 9 of them came in one night! Wow, you guys really do like this fic of mine… well, that's what I'm here for! To entertain you all with my wondrous YGO fics that will be extremely long but extremely well-written! Thanks to the following people for their contribution to my 10 reviews:_

_Maridel, cutehelenjames, Ancient Dreams, JadedHarmony, spiritfire, Kathy, Elfbrat18, Sky Dreamz, Pharaohyamifan, and dreamlover13. _

_Thanks guys! _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 25: What comes after...**

In actuality, Anzu wasn't really alone, for a little ways away from her lay the disgruntled CEO of KaibaCorp., Seto Kaiba, completely out cold on the asphalt. He appeared to have been knocked out from the strange magic that Anzu's pendants released so unexpectedly, but Anzu knew that she couldn't take any risks when it came to this; after all, this could be just some kind of scare tactic in which, as soon as Anzu let her guard down, Kaiba would revive and come back for the final stabbing.

He seemed to be sleeping though, but Anzu couldn't completely tell with the bright blue flames from the jeep giving his skin a pale, sickly complexion. She was indeed afraid of him awaking and still thirsting for her death, but it was only until she watched him lay on the ground unconscious for a few minutes did she finally have the strength to turn her back to him and see if Ishizu and Bakura were okay.

When she found the two, she marveled at how healed they appeared. There wasn't a scratch on either of her companions, and although they were still knocked out when she got to them, she was instantly able to rouse them from their slumber and bring them both back to the burning jeep and Kaiba.

"It's incredible", Ishizu remarked, "how healed we are. I have no bodily injuries what-so-ever. And you, Bakura," she glanced over at the scowling tomb robber, who trailed close behind them, "don't have a single cut or burn. I wonder what brought strange power was used upon us, and who may have been are healer."

Anzu was silent for a moment, unsure if she should reveal to them that it was her cartouche and Atemu's that combined forces to take down Kaiba, and that it may possibly have something to do with their absence of injury. Even she felt better after she went into that world of white light, and saw Atemu there, though now she wasn't sure if that was from the mystic powers of the two pendants or from seeing Atemu again. Was it a dream-form of him, something her mind manifested in that time of peril? Or was it truly him, helping her out in her time of need? She shook her head, realizing that these questions were irrelevant to the present situation; what mattered now was explaining the odd phenomenon that had just occurred to her a few minutes ago.

"I…I think", she said, her voice meek as she tried to form her thoughts into reasonable words, "I think that I released the magic that healed us."

Ishizu suddenly stopped in her tracks and wheeled around to face Anzu. "What?"

"Yes, tell us", she heard Bakura say behind her. "What do you mean you 'think' you used some sort of magic?"

She glanced at both of them, a bit eager to hurry through the tale, and yet still wanting to keep it locked inside her, considering how the moment seemed meant for her, and only her. She sighed, and then began to explain to them events that occurred after they were both rendered unconscious. She summed up her run-in with Kaiba, the Blue Eyes White Dragon's brutal assault on Ishizu's jeep, and when all seemed lost to her in her thought-to-be last moments of life the strange light that had erupted from the two cartouches and saved her life. Ishizu and Bakura listened intently, but it was only up to the part about the cartouche that Ishizu interrupted her.

"What cartouches?" she asked. Anzu took out her two pendants from the inside of her shirt, displaying both the golden one that was hers and the silver one that was the Pharaoh's.

"Atemu's cartouche and my own." Though she whispered it in fondness of the memory, the sound of her voice traveled through the air like the knife that Kaiba wanted to use on her almost did to her throat.

"How did you obtain the pharaoh's cartouche? I thought that he took it with him back into the afterlife", Ishizu replied, sounding a bit confused. Bakura hummed a laugh as he moved around Anzu to face her instead of being behind her.

"And what does this have to do with anything?" the white-haired teen asked impatiently, staring into her azure eyes with his own chocolate ones. "So he left you his necklace? What does it have to do with the odd powers you seem to have obtained?"

"Almost everything" the brunette said back to him. "If it weren't for Atemu's cartouche freezing Kaiba at the last minute, I might have been killed right there by his dagger. Yet, I don't understand how it healed us, or why my cartouche has my name on it now."

There was a moment of silence amongst the three, until Ishizu finally broke it with her voice. "I think I understand it a little. The Pharaoh's cartouche is not just a symbol of his name, but also a host of some of his power. Remember that his name holds powers far beyond comprehension, and that is why he erased his own memories so that it would not fall into the wrong hands.

"I'm going to assume then that not only did the cartouche stop Kaiba from killing you, it also gave you strength to keep fighting, as well as heal the rest of us too. This may sound strange but, while I was unconscious faintly remember being enveloped in some sort of white light, and it only lasted for a mere second. During that time my injuries must have been healed, the same way yours were, Anzu."

"Can you remember anything after that, Ishizu?" The Egyptologist shook her head, her black hair swishing with the sudden movement.

"No. After that I don't remember anything, except that you woke me. Nothing in-between." The brunette, though still a bit puzzled, was beginning to understand why her friends were healed as well as she, though there was still one more person to ask….

"Bakura, did you see any odd light either?" Anzu watched as Bakura simply shrugged and gave her one of his does-this-really-have-to-concern-me looks that he got from time to time.

"As much as it makes me want to strangle something", he hissed, "I will admit that yes, I did indeed see the same thing as Ishizu so describes. I do remember thinking that it might be the 'light at the end of the tunnel' that you mortals say you see when you're about to die." He smirked at the thought, seeming amused. "But apparently it was not my time to die, though that would have been a nice way to finally get out of this hell-hole."

Anzu sighed as she realized how uncooperative Bakura might end up being now that things had calmed down quiet a bit. "Well, anyway, that gives us the reason why we were free of any wounds, but that still doesn't explain why the cartouche I bought now has my name engraved in it."

She looked down at it, musing over the way the silky smooth surface shimmered in the moonlight that shown so brightly this time of night; it reminded her of when she saw Atemu earlier, and that made the warmth in her heart grow like the fire on the burning jeep, which the brunette now become aware of in all the mess and thinking. This would instantly hinder them getting to Egypt. _What are we going to do now? How are we going to get a plane to Egypt? _One look down the deserted road told her that they still had a ways to go before they even had the private hanger in their sights, let alone actually **get** there. Now what were they going to do.

"We have bigger issues now, Anzu" she heard Ishizu say while she was still staring down the dark road, hoping to think of an answer.

"Yes, like what are we going to do with him?" Bakura sneered, and as Anzu turned to see what he was referring to she saw him point to Kaiba, who was still out cold from the magic of the cartouches. He hadn't stirred, hadn't moved or made any indications that he was awake or in some form of restless slumber. In fact, he didn't even appear to be sleeping, since he lay so still and unmoving. It made Anzu think for just a second, that perhaps Atemu's powers didn't knock Kaiba out, but instead could have….

"He's still alive." Anzu glanced up to see Bakura kicking Kaiba with his foot, pushing him around until she heard the CEO groan a little. "Completely unconscious, but still alive."

"Be careful, Bakura", Ishizu warned as she too moved closer to examine Kaiba. Anzu followed her in suit. "We do not know the extent of Samira's powers. Though rendered in this state, Samira could be strong enough to still have a hold on him." Bakura snorted.

"Well then, we'll see, won't we?" he scoffed, but even as he did so a sudden moan from the body below their feet made each of the three jump out of fear, startled by the sudden noise. Anzu watched, hoping that what Samira said wasn't true, and that hopefully Kaiba will awaken in his normal state of mind.

Although, maybe that wasn't such a good thing either….

---

Author's Note:_ I feel so blessed to have so many people read my story! You know what would be cool? … Well, since you really** don't** know, I'll tell you:_

_If I could recruit all of you to get one other person who likes YGO to read this ficcy! How about it!_

…

_Yeah, that does sound kind of cult-ish_..._ Oh well, just keep reviewing like you all do so well and I shall be happy enough to continue typing! Hee hee… must go of and type new chappie! Bye! _


	26. Time for Plan B

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: Yeah, Kaiba's coming back to life! Aren't you all as excited as I am! Except who knows… he could be normal (well, as normal as Kaiba gets) or could still be under mind control…

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 26: Time for Plan B….**

Everything was dark… and quiet, like the middle of the undisturbed night. Touch and smell and all other senses were blurred together like paint jars stirred into one another, and making out any feel for reality was difficult as the world of sleep gave way to the realm of the awake.

Kaiba felt like he was floating somewhere, and where that somewhere was became an unknown factor that tugged at his tired mind. He felt like he had just worked for twenty-three hours without sleep, probably on the KaibaLand project, if he needed any reasons why. All his thoughts were scrambled, and finding any footing amongst them took effort; something Kaiba didn't feel like giving at the moment as he drifted deeper into the darkness that surrounded him….

_Wait! What the hell am I doing! _Kaiba thought as his mind suddenly became his again, his attention now on his half-sleeping state then on the peaceful gliding of his body through the catacombs of his mind. He now felt aware of the fact that he was sleeping, and as he did so his senses returned to him like they do to anyone who just becomes livid after an unexpected nap. He couldn't feel the soft mattress that was his bed beneath him; instead he felt a surface that was hard, cold, and filthy, like earth or a paved road. He could feel a cool autumn breeze gently grace his face, ruffling his brown hair only slightly, and he could smell the bite in this crisp air as if he bit into an ice cube.

This, and other thoughts puzzled the CEO as he tried to regain the strength to get up, to open his eyes and find out where the hell he was. He certainly wasn't in his room, or in any indoor confinement, that he was sure of from the wind and cold ground from which he lay. His puzzlement gave way to frustration as he realized that his body ached, sore and worn as though he had just fought off a duel monster or, something as strenuous but more realistic.

And beyond that his head throbbed the most, as he found that he couldn't remember the last thing that happened to him. Everything seemed like a fog, and he couldn't find a decent strand of thinking from which to start his search.

_What the- This has to be some kind of joke! Why would I, the president of KaibaCorp. be sleeping on the ground outside somewhere! This is ridicules! _He made another attempt at getting up from his position on the ground, but to no avail; he almost felt paralyzed from the pain that acme from his body when he tried to make it obey him. _And why the hell can't I remember anything?_

Suddenly, without any warning, the brown-haired teen felt images burst into his mind coming and going so quickly that at first he didn't recognize them., but as they began to slow and form within his head did he realize that they were memories of what he had done only recently. He watched in shock as he began to recognize the events that occurred.

He saw himself, deleting the new message that the annoying hacker had just left for him that day. He saw Mokuba enter his office, refusing to answer any of his older brother's questions as the CEO started to suspect the worst. And then he saw **her**, the woman who came up into his office and had brain-washed Mokuba to tell her of his whereabouts. He felt anger, worry, vengeance, and hate surge into his tired body as he last remembered seeing a strange blue light, and then nothing.

_Mokuba! He's still with that woman! _With this thought engraved in his head, Kaiba finally found the strength to try and awaken. His sense of hearing became acute again as opposed to the muffled feeling he was getting earlier, and he could hear voices- faint voices, but voices nonetheless. They sounded vaguely familiar but he couldn't really tell since they sounded so small and quiet, but he also didn't care that much anymore. What mattered to him now was waking up and rescuing his little brother, and that soon became his only main focus that night.

He caught small bits of the conversation going on nearby, though it didn't give him too much insight into what was going on. He heard things like, '…still alive', '… rendered in this state…', and '… we'll see, won't we?' He could also hear the sound of something crackling, like a fire somewhere close to him, but otherwise there were no other sounds that caught his interest.

_Alright, I've had enough_. After a little bit of struggling on his part, the CEO managed to open his eyelids, though it was only a small accomplishment compared to the task of moving the rest of his body. However, this one small feat of his allowed him to see the sky above him, which was littered with stars surrounding a glowing white moon. That told him it was night, so now he had to ponder how long he had been out for if the last thing he remembers is something that occurred around noon.

He could also see light coming from his right; turning his head slightly, he managed to get a glimpse at a raging bonfire growing at the edge of some unknown road. Though, it wasn't like any fire Kaiba had ever seen, considering the fact that it had blue and white flames licking around, giving it a holy feel. They reminded him of his Blue Eyes White Dragon, but that, he told himself was impossible, and that it would never happen in a million years. After all, magic didn't exist, despite what Yugi and his dorky friends always tried to explain to him.

_Speaking of which_…. Kaiba, in turning his head for a better view of the flames, also saw a person standing above him, looking worried and just a hint scared. He recognized her as Anzu Mazaki, one of Yugi Mutou's friends.

_Why the hell is she looking at me like that! _He thought, frustrated at his lack of knowledge about his situation. Moving his muscles became easier as he started to wake up more, and he turned his head to the left so as to see if any of the others from the geek patrol were hovering over him. Sure enough, he saw Ryou Bakura and Ishizu Ishtar looking over him as well. Now he was curious, but still mostly annoyed and ticked off.

_What happened to me that would make these losers act like this? _He was referring to the looks of fear and worry on their faces in the light of the blue flames, although he did notice that Ryou's expression was more smug and one of enjoyment as the CEO strived to lift his upper body up from the asphalt. Instantly his head felt a little dizzy from the sudden movement, but that faded quickly once his blood started moving through his unused limbs.

"Uh…my head" he mumbled, but then remembered that he had an audience watching him, and actually backing up a little as he got onto his knees to attempt standing. He glared at all three of them with his sharp, ice-cold eyes. "And why am I with you geeks?"

"Oh yes, that's Kaiba alright" he heard Ryou snicker, his voice deeper and more hoarse than usual but it was his voice for sure. The white-haired teen looked down at him, as though amused at the struggle that Kaiba had to put into getting his legs to work; Kaiba sent him his trademark I'm-too-cool-for-you-losers-to-talk-to glare.

"Kaiba, are you okay?" He looked to his right to see Anzu reaching over to grab his arm, as though to help him up; Kaiba pushed her hand away.

"I think I get up on my own if you don't mind" he hissed snottily. Anzu backed off and simply watched as the CEO, though shaky at first, coped with his aching muscles and tired form and stood up on his own two feet. "Now get out of my way. I have my own business to take care of, and it doesn't concern any of you."

He started walking away, though to which direction he should go didn't matter much to him, so long as he could get out of there and start the search for his brother. He was almost sure that he was finally in the clear when he heard a voice behind.

"Kaiba, do you know what has happened this night?" He stopped walking, but refused to turn around to face his speaker. He smirked as he thought about what she had just said.

"Ishizu, nothing that I choose to do is any of your business, and as for what happened tonight, I don't give a crap." He paused for a response, but didn't get one; he knew that they had no wanting to intersect him, and if they did they would be sorry they ever did since he was now on a mission to save Mokuba. "I'm going to assume that you and your little crew back there were having some kind of geek ceremony to honor some great dead pharaoh, or something involving… magic." He spat the last word out detestably, disliking it for all its unreasonable status in a world that only revolved around the here and now. "If that's the case, then I'll be on my way to something that doesn't involve mystical fairy tales about monsters and ancient kings."

"Hmph. Kaiba… always the non-believer" he heard a male voice sneer, all too aware that it was Ryou speaking. "Then it's safe to assume that you don't remember the crude rampage you were on but a half-hour ago, throwing your thoughts to the wind as you tried to please a mistress who had sever mind control over you and made you want to kill off Anzu here?" Kaiba was silent, not because he was shocked at the accusation but because a small tingle of recognition about the events described felt oddly known to him; strange images of such happenings fluttered about in his head, and though he wished he could deny them it felt as though he couldn't; they felt like images from a dream, or perhaps more of a nightmare, in which he could not control himself but was bent on following the whims of the odd woman who had Mokuba in her grasp. "Because if you don't, I would be all too happy to remind you with a solid beating to the brain, if that's what it will take to jog your memory."

"Empty threats, Ryou" Kaiba said, although now he wasn't sure if that was really Ryou whom he was speaking to. "And, so that you will get off my case, I have to go and find my brother. None of that should concern any of you in the least, so go on and continue your 'magic' stuff without me."

"Mokuba? Why do you have to find him?" He heard Anzu say to his back, a hint of worry and heart-felt concern in her voice, though that did little to melt the ice that was Seto Kaiba.

"Does it have something do with an Egyptian-looking woman, appearing similar to me?" Ishziu asked, and Kaiba turned his head so that he could glimpse at her slightly. Indeed, the female who had his brother did look like Ishizu, though with crimson eyes to replace the blue ones; otherwise they did look a lot alike, and that sent a shudder up the CEO's neck.

"Perhaps" he hissed, "but that doesn't mean I have to tell you all the details. All I know is that that woman has my younger brother, and now I have to get him back.

"Now", he spat, "will you please just let me leave! None of this is of any concern to you, so go sacrifice an animal or something, and let me go!"

"Kaiba, we can't" Anzu replied, her voice a bit meeker now after Kaiba's outburst. "We need your help, just as you need ours."

"Oh? And why is that?"

The brunette sighed heavily. "Because this woman- called Samira- doesn't just have Mokuba. She also has Yugi, Joey, Tristan-"

"And Malik" Ishizu interrupted. "Please Kaiba, stay here with us. The last thing we need is to lose you again to Samira."

"What the hell are you blabbering about now?" he scorned, finally turning to look at them.

"You may not believe us, Kaiba, but Samira… also had you under her mind control as well." The CEO's eyes went wide, but denial was what he was good at, and now he was going to use it.

"That's ridicules! You have really gone off the deep end this time, Ishziu" he said mockingly; however deep down, he did wonder what had happened to him since that time at noon when he saw that blue light.

"I'm not joking, Kaiba. It's all true, and the fact that you are ignoring what really occurred tonight puts you at a great risk of becoming a mind slave to her once more."

"Yes" Ryou added slyly. "Anzu managed to save you with some new magic that she has acquired, and though it **pains** me to even have to suggest this, it may make more sense for you to remain in our company. You were, at least in my opinion, a very efficient and valuable mind slave- not one that Samira would willingly give up. She'll want you back, and if you want to keep your dignity and not be under the thumb a **woman**, then I recommend that you come along with us."

There was a moment of silence between the two opposing parties, with Anzu, Bakura, and Ishizu all waiting for Kaiba to give an answer. He was still and unmoving, with his back to them again for a while, as though contemplating whether or not to agree with Bakura's last comment, and Anzu prayed that he would take up their offer. After all, the last thing Anzu needed to have was the worry that Kaiba would be on the loose again… she had enough stress on her as it was.

Finally, after what felt like forever the brown- haired president of KaibaCorp. turned around to face them all and let his voice cut through the quiet.

"I may not believe you, or agree with any of the hocus-pocus magic crap that you all continue to talk about, but since we are all searching for the same person, then I suggest that you come with me. Because, from the looks of things, you guys aren't going anywhere either." Anzu was overjoyed to hear Kaiba's decree, although she knew that was he said was true: how were they supposed to get to Egypt now? The jeep was now a burning heap of metal, and the airport was too far for any of them to walk to, so what other options did they have?

"How do you intend for us to get on our way then, Kaiba?" Ishizu questioned, the same thoughts on her mind as well. Kaiba merely gave them a snort.

"I'm the president of a multi-million dollar company, Ishizu. I have other ways of transportation." Out of nowhere he pulled out a small, sliver rectangle that reminded Anzu of a remote control, though far more advanced looking. He pressed several buttons on, and at first there was no sign that anything he had just done had any effect. The Anzu heard it.

It was a distant hum in the beginning, starting off small and meek, but as the small jet plane drew closer the sound grew to a menacing roar. As the noise grew louder Anzu could finally pin point the plane as it zoomed in from the far-off airport, the KaibaCorp. slogan on its side as it made way for landing on the large paved road. It actually turned out to be quite a small plane, not at all the big jet she thought it would be, but that didn't matter much as she watched it touch down onto the road, tires squealing and engine howling so loud that Anzu thought she would go death from the sound.

Son it stopped moving down the road, coming to a slow halt about three-fourths of a mile away from them, and as it did so all four of them jogged over to it anxiously-though Kaiba was more ready to saunter his way over to it rather than get caught up in the frenzied run that his new companions had acquired. They made it over to the jet, and Kaiba pressed more buttons on his remote control, causing the hatch to open above them and for stairs to come down for them to board. The CEO went in first, then Ishizu, with Anzu and Bakura taking up the rear. Kaiba headed for the cockpit while the other three went towards the passenger seats, of which there were only ten. They buckled their seat belts, and were just getting comfortable when Kaiba's voice came over the loudspeaker.

"_Okay dorks, this is your captain speaking. I'm preparing for lift-off, so I advise you to hold on to your seats and your stomach_."

"Heh, nice warning", Bakura snickered as the engine roared back to life. "So kind of him to actually-" But Bakura had no time to finish his sentence as the plane suddenly took off, shooting into the air like a missile. The turbulence was rough and made the jet shake to the point that Anzu felt like she was going to vomit. But that only lasted for a moment or two, as the jet finally got at a high enough speed and altitude to level off a bit.

"I take that back", Bakura growled. "Kaiba hasn't changed a bit."

But Anzu wasn't focusing much on what Bakura had t say about any of this. From her view out the small window on her right, the brunette could see Domino City, the sparkling lights and busy action still alive in a city that would soon be covered in perpetual darkness. Though she knew now that her main focus needed to be on what lay ahead, she couldn't help but shed a silent tear for her home city, now the new territory of the witch-princess Samira.

---

Author's Note: _Wow, I never expected you guys to actually want to spread the word about my fic! That's really cool! But seriously, you don't have to if you don't want to! _

_Hey, does anybody think that this fic could get into a C2 or something? I mean, there are so many of those out there but yet I haven't gotten any of them to read this fic, yet my sister, who wrote a small piece involving Yami and Yugi, got onto a C2 in an instant! Can anybody help a writer out? -_


	27. Flying and Falling

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Alright, the plane is in the air and the crew- with Kaiba reluctantly in tow- are heading for Egypt! Yeah, I know, that took a while! And Atemu's revival is still a ways away for our heroes (estimated chappie… I don't know, since I'm still typing this as we speak, but I suppose…somewhere in the forties or early fifties?) Hope you can bear with me that long, because a lot of stuff happens in the mean time that will be crucial to our sexy hero's resurrection! Now, on with the chappie!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 27: Flying and Falling….**

"Is the plane ready?" Samira asked her servant as he made his entry into her shadow-clad room.

"Yes, my Queen. All is prepared for your departure to Egypt." The princess smiled mischievously, never failing to imply her true nature with every gesture she did so make. She gazed into the shadows, where she could just make out the still outline of her servant, waiting patiently for her answer. She chuckled.

"Excellent. I will soon be in my homeland once again, and it won't be long before they all pay for their insolence." She cackled again at the delightful pleasure to which she had waited for so long to finally partake in. Her servant remained as solid as stone, failing to participate in his queen's fun but also not showing any meager resistance. His mistress reached her hand into the dark abyss that surrounded her, almost at nothing at first, but out of the veil of night a servant's hand gave her a clear glass goblet filled with a dark, ruby-red liquid that swished softly around as it was handed to its user. Samira took a delicate sip of this strange liquid, her lips lightly stained with it to the point that she used her tongue to playfully clean the excess away. She grinned sinfully.

"And I can assume that the other planes are ready as well?" she asked, and the servant nodded, though it was almost completely unseen in the shadows.

"Yes, all five of them. We have all of your followers inside, awaiting your command for take-off."

"Well then, we must not waste a moment. World domination is at best swift, and I'd prefer this done before the ceremony night." She paused to enjoy another sip from the glass goblet before continuing on. "Oh yes, and what of Anzu Mazaki? Has Priest Seto been a good boy and finished her off as of yet?" The servant bowed his head.

"I am afraid not, my Queen. Anzu still lives and now Priest Seto has joined forces with her. They have also taken a jet, though they're destination is unknown."

Samira snickered, though it was more of a growl of displeasure. "Most likely to Egypt, if I know those mortals well enough." She now took a hefty gulp of the red liquid, and handed the nearly-empty goblet back into the darkness, where a pale servant's hand took it back. "That works out perfectly then, if I plan to eliminate that girl from this earth in time for the ceremony. I can't have her around to ruin things, now can I?" The servant nodded as she spoke. "If Priest Seto is with her now, then she has awakened the powers of the Pharaoh. I have to kill her soon, before she knows the true extent of this gift.

"Now, off with you!" She made a sharp hand gesture to her loyal slave, who instantly vanished into nothing at his mistress's fury. "Get my plane ready for my arrival! We will be leaving shortly, so inform your troops! I expect you all ready within the hour! No time is to be wasted if I am to get to Egypt before the rise of the Blood Moon!" In not even a second's time the room was empty; the blackness that filled the room now had empty pockets in it from where a mind slave once resided, and the princess was alone in a room that surrounded her with the cool, excited touch of shadowed twilight.

"Your plans shall not succeed, Princess Samira." The voice was not too far away, somewhere in the pitch emptiness of the black, but though it resembled a threat Samira didn't give it much thought. She smiled at the male voice and walked towards it, towards the wall.

"I never asked for your opinion, Shadi." Against the wall was the mysterious Egyptian named Shadi, his aura of secrets and ancient power now slightly decimated as he was now chained to the wall behind him; his darkly tanned wrists were held by cuffs that were chained to the wall of Yugi's room, as well as his slippered feet and dark ankles. His light, cream-colored robe hung loosely off of him, and his turban remained upon his head. He glared at the witch with electric blue eyes, there brightness still visible despite the mist of shadows that so covered him. "Do you like those Shadow Realm bindings I have put you in? Just for you, Shadi, so that you can't get away, and so that my plans for conquering this world will continue as planned!"

"You shall see, Samira. Your plans failed in the ancient past, and now, they shall fail once again. Fate will see to that."

Samira laughed cold-heartily, her white teeth gleaming in her mouth. "Shadi, you don't lighten up at all, now do you. Of course I'm going to win this time around. I've been watching", she leaned in close to him so that she could peer deep into the two pools of cerulean that were his, "and waiting, for five millennia! I know now what made me fail before, and this time I won't make the same mistakes."

"No matter what you do, Samira, the gods will make it otherwise. The Pharaoh will rise again, and he shall end your reign, _permanently_." Shadi looked fiercely back at her, and for a moment both of them simply stared at one another, as if seeing who would give in first. Finally, Samira backed off with a smirk on her face as she crossed her arms in dislike.

"Hmph. You truly are as stubborn as ever, now aren't you Shadi?" The Egyptian gave no response, so she snorted at his arrogance and continued. "It matters not though, for you will help me despite your stubbornness."

"I think not, Samira. My will is far too strong for you to control, so you will only be wasting whatever valuable time you have." Shadi smirked, seeming victorious, but grimaced uncomfortably when Samira only chuckled at him as though what he said made no difference. "Why do you mock me, princess? Is what I said not true, or are you cackling in denial?"

"You still don't understand my plans then, Shadi. I do not desire you as mind slave of mine." Seeing his confusion, she explained. "You obviously haven't the slightest clue as to my plot. I don't want you to serve me like the others… oh no, that would never do. You would be, as you have already said, too hard to control, so I don't wish to waste my energy on that. Instead, I just need some information that only you would know…."

"And you think that I would give it to you, a demon's child? Willingly as well?" Shadi scoffed at her stupidity. "Yes, I guess I did over-estimate you, Samira, for if that is your intention then your desire to control all mankind shall crumble like the Egyptian empire did so long ago." But Shadi became worried when the princess didn't show any sign of her ideas being challenged; looked rather pleased, actually.

"I'm so glad you haven't figured it out yet, Shadi. If you did, then it wouldn't be as much fun. I know that you would never give me information on your own free will, and since I can't make you give it to me, then what am I to do?" She smirked delightfully. "The answer hangs around your neck, Shadi."

"The Millennium Key?" Shadi was still mystified as to how it would play a part in this. "You cannot use it. You remember from the _last_ incident, don't you? You, of all people, should know that outsiders cannot use the Millennium Items- only those who hold one can, or are destined to use one."

"Precisely, Shadi. That is why I have my little friend here." She gestured a hand towards the shadows, and as she did so a figure emerged from it into view. Shadi gave a slight gasp, but failed to relieve his strict composure.

"Yugi…?" The boy was indeed standing before him, his multi-colored hair spiked into the darkness that surrounded him so lovingly and his purple eyes blank pools against his pale face. He merely stared at Shadi, not showing any form of emotion or will, and without any warning the teen's hands reached out towards Shadi, and grabbed the Millennium Key. He pulled it off of Shadi's head clumsily, but after a second had it dangling from his hands. Shadi growled in response.

"You are a demon's child- forever you shall be" he seethed. Samira smiled.

"That's just how I like it." The princess put her tan-skinned hand onto Yugi's head, getting lost in his colorful hair; then she whispered something into the teen's ear, and to respond Yugi took the Millennium Key into his right hand and pointed it to Shadi's head, where it opened up his mind to Yugi, and in turn, Samira.

---

"_Okay dweebs, we're in the air but I'm flying blind. So, where the hell are we going_!" Kaiba's voice spat over the loudspeaker, as foul-tempered and Kaiba-ish as ever. Anzu heard Bakura mutter nasty curses under his breath, and she couldn't help but agree with him; after the harsh take-off from the abandoned road in Domino, Bakura has been brooding over Kaiba's 'hospitality', and the fact that his stomach simply hadn't recovered from the sickening ride as quickly as Anzu's or Ishizu's. The brunette sighed as her anxiety came to a peak again; she was desperately wanting to reach Egypt before Samira figured out their game strategy, but at the same time she wanted to stay in the plane, and ride forever among the cotton clouds of blue and sliver that whispered past them in the black and navy sky. She didn't want this dangerous adventure, she didn't want the entire world to rest on her shoulders like it did for Atemu and Yugi so many times in the past; she only wanted to be the cheerleader, the supporter, the one on the side-lines giving encouragement to the real heroes, but now she had no choice but to be the heroine of her own fight to save humanity.

But was that what she was doing? Saving the world? Was that the real reason for why she was fighting? Anzu almost didn't believe that, because deep down in her heart she knew that that was not her true motive, for as soon as Ishizu mentioned the idea of resurrecting Atemu from the afterlife she had put herself to the task; she had signed the devil's book with the blood of her own desperate heart, if only in hopes of seeing his angelic face and hearing his heavenly voice once more. That was selfish, but knew that she was really fighting for that it anything, with saving the world coming in at a close second. She had to remind herself over and over of Yugi's blank eyes and emotionless state, but try as she might Atemu continued to pop into her head as many times as Bakura swore, which happened to be a lot right now because of Kaiba's little 'warning'. _Though_, Anzu thought, _if he hadn't given us fair warning we all would have screamed like crazy, thinking we were all gonna die. _She smiled, picturing Bakura screaming like a girl and vomiting into the next seat over; for some reason that gave her some pleasure, though she knew if Bakura could read her thoughts he probably would have thrown her off the plane.

Ishizu, who was sitting in the seat next to Anzu, sighed and got up. "I'll go and direct Kaiba. Excuse me." She walked steadily despite how shaky the airplane was at times, and disappeared into the cockpit. Then Anzu was all alone with Bakura, who sat across the aisle and a row back from her. He yawned playfully, then scowled his usual Bakura-hates-everything-that-moves scowl.

"A long night it has been hasn't it Anzu?" he asked her, more to the empty air than directly at her. She nodded silently, and Bakura smirked at her meekness. "What? I don't bite- much."

"So long as you're biting mind slaves, Bakura- that's all that matters."

"Yeah, that's true." He looked over at her with his sharp brown eyes as he pushed his chair far back and put his feet up onto the head-rest of the chair in front of him. "I think it would be wise if you got some sleep, Anzu. The events of tonight have even tired me out, and I'm not the type of person to be fatigued, and this may be the only time that you won't find any mind slaves coming to do you in."

"I think you're right, Bakura." It was true, she did feel really tired after all the running and heart-pounding action that went on for the last few hours; and he was right, since they were up in the air and no mind slave, despite how brain-washed they were, would be able to reach them up here… unless they were in a fighter jet that had a lot of machine guns and the military was already Samira's too… she shuddered at the thought, already making up ways for Samira to come and kill her in her sleep. Bakura must have noticed this, because he gave a slight chuckle.

"Relax already! They won't come for you up here, Anzu!" he said in a grumpy but still, if that were possible, caring tone. Anzu didn't think she would ever, EVER think that in a million years, but with all the other weird things that have happened this night, anything was possible. "I'm going to switch over to Ryou now, since I would prefer sleeping in my cold, dark soul room to Kaiba's fun roller coaster plane any day." He glanced at her for a moment, and then became engulfed in the bright golden light of the Millennium Ring; Anzu watched until the transformation was completely, and after a bit Ryou sat in the seat that was once occupied by the great King of Thieves, looking a little confused and nervous in his new surroundings.

"Oh my…" he breathed as he looked about at the plane, his chocolate eyes wide with a hint of shock and surprise. "Well, it looks like we're in the clear now, doesn't it." He gave a warm smile to Anzu, and Anzu couldn't help but give him a huge grin back; Ryou, unlike his counterpart, always made her feel welcome and friendly in times of regret and sorrow, and now was a time as good as any to enjoy so Ryou warmth. He got up from his seat on the plane and grabbed two blankets from the seat in front of them; Anzu had almost completely forgotten about them after Ishizu fished them out of the storage area. Ryou had noticed them quite quickly, and as he picked up two of them he sat down in Ishizu's seat and handed her one of them. "Here- you might need this, since you look very exhausted."

Did she? Anzu wasn't sure what she looked like now, and she didn't really care much either; with all the earlier excitement she didn't have any time to worry about her hair and face- there was time for that once they got to Egypt. For now, she simply had to worry about sleep, which seemed very close by as she took the blanket and placed it over herself to get comfortable.

"This whole situation must be crazy for you guys, I'm sure" Ryou said as he folded his arms over his head and stared out at the ceiling. "I'm not even conscious for most of the fight, so I can only guess at how difficult it must be to continue this fight. To tell you the truth, I don't even know what's going on…." His voice trailed off as he glanced back at Anzu, who had her back slightly turned away from him, but still gave him a good view of her passed out expression. She looked peaceful and content as she snuggled deeper into the blanket for warmth in her deep sleep. Ryou smiled before turning away from her in his own seat and curled up in his chair.

"Sleep well, Anzu."

---

Author's Note: _Yeah, I know- slightly uneventful but that must be dealt with after those few action-packed chappies from the recent past! The next chappie will be about Anzu, for the most part, I refuse to give away any information, because that would ruin the chappie, but I will give you one hint: what do you do when you sleep that Anzu will definitely be doing this night? Think hard, the answer may be in the first chappie, and if you remember the events of that then that might give you some bleak insight! If you do know then tell me in your next review! Tootles!_


	28. Immortal Dreams

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Yeah! The dream chappie! Hope you all like this one!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 28: Immortal Dreams**

The image was vivid, as it always was every night. Anzu watched in her dream-like state, almost unaware that it was her dream that she was once again witnessing. The events played out like clockwork, each moment coming after the next in a flowing motion that swept Anzu back to her memories of that depressing day...

Or at least that's where Anzu thought it was going to take her. She expected, as she had done recently every other time she dreamed, that she would witness Atemu's last moments in the world of the living, before he went to the afterlife, but the image of him in front of the doorway never came.

Instead the sweeping motions of the dream realm sent her falling through a vortex of spinning, spiraling colors that reminded her of a kaleidoscope; traces of every color imaginable spun about, around and around like several pieces of string all swirling about, to the point where Anzu became dizzy and couldn't look directly at it anymore. She felt hot and cold, happy and grieving, all in that vortex as she fell deeper into it, like she was passing through time itself, and she had no way to stop it. She felt something like tears ink her face for a second, and then the light brush of softness against her lips that reminded her of cherry blossom petals… all of these sensations, emotions, and thoughts whirled inside of her like the colors did outside of her, and just when she thought she would break apart from the over-kill of it all, everything suddenly stopped. She fell through an opening of white light in the vortex onto solid ground, though she fell on her knees clumsily rather than on her feet, which she would have preferred.

After all the crazy twisting and falling from before, Anzu had to close her eyes and hold her head until the woozy feeling in her mind died away. While her eyes were closed she felt something cold beneath her, as though the surface that she sat upon was made of ice or cold marble. Sure enough as she let her eyes open slowly, she could see the glittering white smoothness of ice under her, as she realized that she was sitting on a floating glacier of sorts. It was flat, but very much so a raft of ice and compacted snow that just bobbed lazily on the crystal clear water that surrounded her. But it was a small expanse of water, nothing that Anzu had much to worry about, until she looked all around her.

She was on a small barge of ice, in the middle of a small crystal lake, in the middle of the desert. She could see, not far from her, the bank of her small body of water, where it met a few reeds and gently swaying grass but soon led up to a never-ending horizon of sand, from all angles that she looked. Left, right, front, back- in a complete circle did Anzu turn, hoping to see something else that might tell her where she was, but there was nothing else in the barren waste land that enveloped the small lake and the even smaller glacier.

What made it even weirder was that, despite the fact that she was in a desert, just like the ones that she saw in Egypt, she felt extremely cold and shivered tremendously. She assumed that it was because of the ice raft that she sat on, but then again if she was in a desert then why wasn't this ice melting? It didn't feel wet, just sold and cold, like the air around it was not at all affected by the hot noon-day sun that shown so brightly above Anzu's head. Or at least it should have been hot, or maybe even warm- whatever the case Anzu couldn't feel a single bit of the sun's rays on her chilled skin.

_Maybe the water's warm_... Anzu thought, hoping that she was right as she went to dip her hand into the clear liquid. As soon as her skin penetrated the water's surface, however, Anzu's hand felt like it was being stabbed with a million needles all at once; she yelped in pain and drew her hand back instinctively, examining it for wounds. Strangely, it was covered with a layer of frost and ice, and was now going numb since Anzu couldn't seem to get the ice to melt off her hand. She was worried now, since this meant that she couldn't swim over to the water's edge no matter how shallow the pool was. Basically she was trapped, with no way to get off her little island of ice and no way to know where she was.

All was quiet for a while as Anzu sat uselessly on the block of ice, wondering how on earth she was going to get to the edge of the lake, but it wasn't long before a light chuckle entered the air that sounded very familiar… Anzu knew she heard that chuckle from somewhere before but couldn't place it as it got louder, and closer… finally the warning bells went off inside of her head as she felt the sun's phantom warmth become blocked by a shadow growing larger around her. She tilted her head up and gave a silent scream as she recognized who it was from.

_Samira_! The figure flying above her did not look like Samira, for it had huge animalistic eyes of crimson red, claws of unnatural length, and two giant wings of black silky feathers gliding its body down in a nose-dive towards the frightened brunette, but the voice was all that was needed to tell Anzu of the danger that she was in. Anzu couldn't run, for the size of the small raft of ice would not permit her to without diving into the water, and hiding wasn't possible either as the creature fell faster, its darkly tan arms reaching to grab her. Anzu was held frozen by the huge blood red eyes, like a mouse caught in the glare of a hawk, and before Anzu could make any feeble attempt to avoid the creature, it had tackled her at great speed and pushed her into the seemingly pristine water that Anzu knew was truly deadly.

She hit it hard, as she was unprepared for the hit and it smacked her back into the water's undisturbed surface, but the crystal water gave in to her form and she slipped quietly below the skin of it. As soon as she was under Anzu felt the water enveloping her body, the needles that hurt her hand before stabbing her entire form mercilessly. Anzu wanted to scream in pain but could not for she was underwater, and though she struggled to swim back to the surface she found that she could not; she was literally frozen in a block of ice that had instantly formed around her, and it now enclosed her face and sealed her eyes open as she watched herself sink deeper and deeper into the lake.

She didn't realize the lake was so deep, since she thought that she saw the bottom before when she was sitting on the raft, but apparently she was wrong because minutes went by as she sank farther and farther; she didn't need to breathe anymore because her mouth was frozen in a half-open sigh and the ice was covering her nostrils, preventing any air from coming in or out. She couldn't move, but it was okay because she couldn't feel anything anyway; the pins and needles feeling was gone, instead replaced by a feeling of numbness and cold that crawled through her skin and into her blood and bones. Her eyes were glued open but she didn't feel the need to blink, instead just watching the sun get farther and farther away from her as the darkness started to surround her.

She soon lost the urge to fight, the urge to breathe and think and be… the ice sedated her mind, causing it to drift in and out of thoughts, as they too became meek and unimportant to her. _What's happening to me?_ She thought silently, a bit of fear rising up in her. _Why do I feel so strange?_

_Relax…_a cluster of voices whispered into her mind. _Don't be afraid. Relax, forget the cold, and pain…forget everything_…. Slowly she felt her mind follow the voices' command, her few thoughts drifting away like ghosts and her heart becoming numb. _You are nothing, non-existent…float away in the endless shadows…forget your life…it is no longer yours…forget your friends…they are far away…let your heart become the cold…let yourself become the water…you belong to us now_…. Her eyes turned into blank cerulean as she heard the whispers around her, clouding her mind and becoming her conscience… she had no more feelings, for her heart was slowly forgetting what she knew… she saw faces that had no names, of names with no people… she gradually let soul sink into the ice just like her body did into the water, and soon there would be nothing left of her, nothing left….

She saw a small light coming towards her, but that did not concern her… nothing concerned her anymore… who was she talking about? Who was not concerned?

"_You are, Anzu_" a strong, confident voice said, the sound of it vibrating through her lifeless body and sending warmth into it. Was that who she was? Anzu? Was that her name? Slowly her eyes came back into focus, her mind her own again, and she watched in slight awe as the light became larger, showing that it was approaching her. It was a gentle golden light, and as it came closer she realized that it was not just a light but a person engulfed in the light. The person came up to her, a hand outreached towards her, and as the hand came closer and closer did her heart suddenly burst from the icy hold that had encircled it so quickly, her soul waking from the enchanted sleep that had made her forget things, and she felt a tear slip down her cheek, melting some of the ice.

_Atemu_... It was him, coming to her in the darkness, he was all golden and glowing, a radiant smile on his face as he neared her, and when he got close enough, he touched the ice gently with his hand. Suddenly Anzu was blinded by light and felt her icy containment break as she closed her eyes to shield them from the brilliance….

She was standing in the white-washed world from before, when she had been rescued by the cartouches not too long ago. She was no longer in the lake, that was in the middle of the desert, and she wasn't cold at all, in fact she felt quite snug and warm, which felt good after the incident she had jus endured. There wasn't a single sound for miles, until she heard the sound of a sigh behind her.

_I'm so tired of being here_

_Suppressed by all of my childish fears_

Atemu stood to with his side to her, his body facing to her left as she turned around to see the person who had sighed. He was gazing out into the vast expanse of white, as though he was looking at something but wasn't, and Anzu only wished that she had the courage to ask him what had him so sad….

_And if you have to leave_

_I wish that you would just leave_

_Because your presence still lingers here_

_And it won't leave me alone_

His eyes were still the magnificent amethyst that she so longed to get lost in, his arms still strong limbs that she wished could hold her right now. The purple cloak billowed behind him effortlessly, his white tunic clean and stark next to his Egyptian skin; he was adorned from head to toe in gold jewelry, and had the air of majesty surround him in his aura. Still, Anzu could not get the feeling that he had a weight in his heart, with feelings of worry and grief clouding him so that he appeared so upset….

_These wounds won't seem to heal_

_This pain is just too real_

_There's just too much that time cannot erase_

For some reason, Anzu thought that she could see two angelic white-feathered wings coming from his back, a ghostly silhouette of its form coming from his back and taking shape as they extended outward from his body. They glistened like gossamer, and looked strong enough to lift him into the air so that he could fly away… but if he had such freedom, then why did he appear so down, like he had lost apart of his heart somewhere and he couldn't find it anywhere. Then he spoke in his baritone voice, which rang through the still air like the pure sound of a tuned instrument, though he seemed to be speaking to the empty space in front of him than to her.

"_There's so much out there that I don't understand. Secrets that keep me stuck in the shadows, away from the truth as soon as I get near it. I only wish I knew…the secrets that bind me to this fate._" His words reminded her of the time that Yugi was captured by Dartz, when Atemu's soul was the only one in their dual-soul body, and she had to stop him from tearing Weevil to shreds. He held that same stance of misery, that same look of pain that cut her so deep inside that she thought she could feel his hurt just as strongly as he.

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears_

_When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears_

_And I've held your hand through all of these years_

_But you still have all of me_

His wings gradually faded into the white, disappearing from his form like sand in the sand. He seemed not to notice though, as he continued to speak, his eyes still looking out into the distance. "_And why does the road always seem so long and windy, so hard to travel on just to find out something as small as my name? Why is it always a game that I must play, when the answers are right there, sitting at my feet just out of arm's reach?_"

Anzu wondered the same thing; why were the answers always so close, and yet so far? Why did it have to be a struggle to find them, a game that must be won in order to get a glimpse at a small piece of the big picture? Like in her own battles where her own questions had answers that she needed to fight for, such as the reason why Samira wanted to take over the world, and why killing Anzu had anything to do with it. She knew that going to Egypt would provide some answers, but would it end the fight, or just lead to more questions, with more answers to find and play for?

Anzu watched the Pharaoh's face as he sighed deeply; he looked so serene, so divine, like he was pure of all evil but still not so much, like he had seen hard times but would forever fight for the good times. She knew she wouldn't need to get a good look at his face though, because come next night, and the night after that, she would only dream of him again, and get another moment with his saintly face.

_You used to captivate me_

_By your resonating light_

_But now I'm bound by the life you left behind_

_Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams_

_Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me_

"_My friends… I know that they're in trouble, and I am unable to help them! What use am I if they fall victim to the dark when I could have tried to save them_!" Anzu looked up, wondering if the vision of Atemu that was before her was talking about her and the rest of the crew; it seemed like the obvious answer, but then again maybe he would be speaking directly to her, instead of to the air. The mention of his pain for this friends made the memory of Yugi pop up into her mind, like a scar that never becomes well, and she shivered like the cold block of ice made her shiver before when it drained her of her soul….

_These wounds won't seem to heal_

_This pain is just too real_

_There's just too much that time cannot erase_

Suddenly the air around Anzu felt very cold, like she was sinking back into the icy waters again. She looked back up at Atemu, only to see that he was crying a little, a small tear sliding down his golden cheek as his purple eyes became wet with them. He whispered ever so quietly into the ground, as though it would listen to him as he spoke.

"_Goodbye, my friends_."

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears_

_When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears_

_And I've held your hand for all of these years_

_But you still have all of me_

She wanted to hold him, to tell him that everything was okay, but once again she suffered the terrible fate of simply watching as Atemu suffered alone, but he didn't seem all that sad; just remorseful, and as if asking for forgiveness. Then, out of nowhere, a mass of black shadows formed underneath the Pharaoh, with tentacles of blackness reaching around him and pulling him into the sticky shadowy vortex. He didn't struggle, didn't fight; he let the shadows pull him under as he finally gave Anzu a glance in her direction. His eyes, huge and purple, gave her one final tear before being sucked into the black.

"_Goodbye, Anzu_."

"ATEMU!" She then snapped out of her trance and attempted to sprint towards him to save him from the shadows, but then she felt something wrap around her waist; she looked down, horrified to see the same tentacle of shadows ensnare her, first around her torso, and then another came to grab her wrist, and then another, and another. Soon several arms had come out of a dark whirlpool that had formed behind her, drawing her backwards into the cold, suffocating black pit. She wanted to scream but one of the extensions from the vortex had grabbed her around the head, covering her mouth. She felt her back meet the undulating pool of shadows behind her, and as it dragged her through it the walls closed in around her, blinding her in the darkness and overpowering her by giving her no air as it drained her of what she had left. She felt dizzy from the lack of oxygen, and as she finally began to fade out of her dream-conscience, she saw an image of Atemu's calm face smile back at her, a whispering tease to remind her of what she had lost, and may never hope to obtain….

_I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone_

_And though you're still with me_

_I've been alone all along_

---

"Anzu? Hey, Anzu wake up!" A voice called out from somewhere near the sleeping girl. Anzu steadily rose back to consciousness, her eyes opening slowly to the airplane settings around her. She was still in her chair that she had fallen asleep in, though the blanket that had been on her was in a jumble heap near her, and from the bright light that entered her window next to her she could see that it was morning, or at least day. She turned over to see Ryou shaking her a bit, and he smiled at seeing her awake.

"Morning sleepy head!" he chimed. She gave a slight nod and yawned.

"Yeah, morning to you too, Ryou." She rubbed the sand out of her eyes, tired from the odd sleep she had just endured. Her dreams were always so strange, but now they felt more real than they ever did before. Was that just same random feeling she was having? Probably, if she thought about it enough; after all, with all the latest excitement it's no wonder that she would have crazy drams like that.

"We're almost at the Egyptian airport now, so get ready, Anzu!" Ryou walked off towards the cockpit, where the brunette could hear Kaiba's muffled argument with Ishizu as they were talking about something Anzu couldn't hear. She didn't want to get into the conversation, so she just rolled over in her seat and stared out the windows instead, admiring the endless sea of puffy white clouds and blue sky before her; she had to enjoy it because soon all she'll be able to see for a while will be a vast expanse of golden sand, and after last night's dream she wasn't sure if she wanted to see that for a little while longer….

---

Author's Note: _Weird dream, eh? And I used another Evanescence song, this time it was "My Immortal". Well, can't talk long since it's a quarter to ten at night and I have a Spanish project to finish! Bye!_


	29. Wings over a golden ocean

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Hey readers of mine! Guess what! Today, February 15, is my B-day! Yes, it is! Now I am 15 years old, so isn't that weird? Being 15 on the 15th? … Well, that's all that's on my mind today, so… let's get on with this, shall we? No point in having a birthday and not updating on your favorite fanfiction (because it's yours) right? _

…._ As you can tell, I have no life beyond this computer_….

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 29: Wings over a golden ocean….**

It wasn't long before they had reached the airport; like Ryou had said earlier, they were there shortly after Anzu awoke from her long rest on the plane, and ready to head out into the mysterious world that was Egypt. Though that didn't happen too quickly, since they still needed to land and get off the plane.

Kaiba took the jet over to the private hanger that the Ishtar family had clearance to; Ishizu patiently guided Kaiba to the airport before the two of them got so frustrated that they killed each other on the spot. Anzu merely watched them come onto the runway, wheeling in smoothly under Kaiba's sure hand. The sun from above was already a bit bright for Anzu's taste, blinding her with the few rays that poured in through the small windows in the passenger area. She was going to have to get used to it, though, if she was going to travel out here in the desert.

No one bothered them when they exited the plane, no one seemed to want their IDs or any other form of identification- at least not once Ishizu and Kaiba showed their passports and authorization; after that all the others backed off quickly. Kaiba also had a menacing glare of ice that kept any of the guys in the hanger from bothering Anzu or Ryou, so his cold steel eyes were for once a bonus for Anzu, unlike most other times.

They had no luggage, and they had nothing with them on the plane, so they left p without a hitch and spent no time browsing at whatever there was to see. As soon as they walked outside the airport they saw Odion standing next to a white jeep, just like Ishizu's had been in Japan but looked more capable of rugged terrain. Odion looked the same as he always did- tan skin, green eyes, a bald head save the ponytail that he wore up in the back, hieroglyphic markings covering the left side of his face…he didn't appear much different. He still wore the formal amethyst robe that he had worn during Malik's hunt for the power of the Pharaoh, and he still had that traditionally look of seriousness and formality that he always held so highly. He smiled as they approached.

"I received your call, Miss Ishizu" he said to them.

"Thank Ra you did, Odion" Ishizu replied as she went over to speak to him. Anzu wondered when Ishizu had made this call, since she did not remember it, but then again she was asleep for most of the flight so maybe Ishizu did call Odion while she had slept. "I only got the answering machine before- why weren't you there to answer?"

"I was studying one of the ancient tombs for a few hours- you must have called me then."

"Must have." Ishizu looked over at Odion, then back at the rest of the group. Anzu watched the other two guys' expressions: Kaiba was scowling and shifting around comfortably, and Ryou simply looked curious, like the entire world was new to him and he had his eyes open for the first time. Anzu thought about if Bakura was out instead of Ryou, and how both he and Kaiba would have been wearing the same faces.

"And why isn't Master Malik with you, Miss Ishizu?" The Egyptologist turned back to her step-brother, a grave look in her pale blue eyes. She had her head bowed, and at the sight of that stance Odion's face tensed up. "Has something happened to Master Malik?"

There was silence for a small while; Anzu looked down at her boots, Ryou's eyes grew large and sad, while Kaiba just stood there uncaring and oblivious. Odion appeared to be a bit panicky when he saw them all look so filled with grief. "Tell me, Miss Ishizu! Where is Master Malik?"

"I'm… I'm sorry for not saying this over the phone, Odion." Ishizu whispered, and Odion seemed to be ready to shake the life out of something from the fear. "Malik… he has been taken… as a mind slave to the newest threat to mankind, Princess Samira, along with Yugi and a few others." It didn't matter what else Ishizu had said, because at the mention of Malik being a mind slave Odion's eyes went wide with shock and Anzu was sure that he had stopped breathing; his face, despite how tan it was, looked awfully pale and he seemed sick. Ishizu looked back up at him, and placed a hand on her shoulder as he closed his eyes in remorse.

"Not Master Malik…" Odion whispered, in a voice so quiet Anzu wasn't even sure she heard it; his voice also quivered as he spoke, like he was trying not to cry. Anzu would never believe her eyes if she saw Odion cry, since he was just the type of person who just, didn't seem to have the capability to shed tears outwardly. The two were silent for another moment as they stood next to each other, as if exchanging thoughts to each other in ways that Anzu couldn't understand, and then Ishizu took her hand off of Odion's shoulder and he nodded to her, his emerald eyes open.

"Then we have no time to lose, if Master Malik is being held captive" Odion announced to everyone, his hand gesturing to the jeep behind him. He opened up the door to the driver's seat, allowing Ishizu to get in to drive, and he closed it behind him and looked at the other three. "Get in, quickly. If this threat that you are talking about comes here then we shall need every advantage we can get- we must move swiftly before it gets here." Anzu obeyed, hopping into the back seat and moving herself inside until she was on the passenger's side of the back seat. Ryou followed in behind her, and when Odion gestured to Kaiba to get in as well, the CEO simply ignored him and majestically sat down on the driver's side of the back seat, refusing to look at any of them. Anzu thought she heard him mumble under his breath, but she decided not to be bothered with it; Kaiba would be Kaiba, no matter what the situation.

Odion shut the door for Kaiba and proceeded to walk around the back of the jeep and get in through the passenger's side door, sitting beside Ishizu and in front of Anzu. Ishizu then started up the jeep with a roar of the engine, and soon they were off, the jeep moving moderately quick along the semi-paved road. That was how they traveled for a short period of time, but eventually Ishizu began to move the jeep off the road, and it wasn't long before Anzu felt them fly over sand dunes like they were on some kind of thrill ride- or Kaiba's plane during take-off again.

She looked over at Ryou, who seemed as sick as his yami was during Kaiba's flight from Domino; his face was shaded with the lightest tint of green at first, but that faded soon once he got used to the ride. Since Ishizu's white jeep had an open top, the wind from the desert flew past there faces, stinging them with sand every once and a while and always feeling a bit dry; Ryou's hair was a cloak of white that billowed behind him gracefully, and Anzu felt hers whip in the wind as well. Kaiba's stayed plastered to his head, as unmoving and serious as he was at the time; as he preoccupied himself with staring out the window at the endless amount of sand that past them by. Anzu and Ryou, on the other hand, were having more fun talking amongst themselves, as the trip had become boring and they needed something else to do besides look out at the ocean of gold that surrounded them.

"This feels so different from Japan, doesn't it?" Ryou asked, his voice a bit loud since he was trying to get his words over the loud howl of the engine and the wind racing past them. She nodded as she shielded her eyes from the bright noon-day sun to look over at him.

"I bet Bakura would like this!" Anzu shouted to him, and at the mention of his yami Ryou appeared both sad and humored at the same instant. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing really… but, Bakura is worrying me a bit. He seems so to himself, and he won't let me speak to him through our mind link. He's completely closed himself off from me, and I don't know why." Ryou could have seemed disheartened by this, but Anzu knew better than to think that, for she could sense the nervousness in his voice. She was a little uneasy at this as well, because she knew the destruction and evil that Yami Bakura was capable of, and if he was trying to hide something he was doing a good job of keeping it from Ryou and her. What could he possibly have to hide from them? Anzu took that thought back for a second, because she knew that Bakura could have everything to hide, if not more- secrets about his ancient past that perhaps he wanted to conceal, and thoughts that might reveal things that he wanted to remain in the dark.

"So, he hasn't told you anything about why he wants to help me, and why he wants to stop Samira?" Anzu shouted, but Ryou merely shrugged.

"He never tells me anything. Last night was the first time I've ever had a nearly decent conversation with him, and that didn't last long. He hasn't come out of his soul room since we transferred last night, and that's been the only time I've heard from him for a while." That didn't help solve the mystery for Anzu, but instead made it more unclear.

"Isn't Bakura always like that?"

"Yes, but the mind link is usually open anyway and Bakura is, for the most part, always hovering over me so that at any single moment he can take over when he deems it necessary. I don't have any real access to the mind link, but he has full access and will use it to the furthest extent possible to control me. The fact that he's completely ignoring me now and secluding himself into the Ring disturbs me a little, but it's nothing to be worried about, Anzu." He gave her a gentle smile that reassured her just a little, but still not so much. "Bakura has always been a bit stand-offish, so I wouldn't be concerned."

"Oh… okay, then." Anzu let the conversation slide after that, referring back to some quiet contemplation on her part. The sea of sand continued on as they leapt over dunes and hills of the stuff, and Anzu soon began to wonder if they were going around in circles or something. _There can't possibly be this much sand, can there be_? Anzu knew that, in reality, there was much more sand out there than just what she was seeing now, but she prayed that this trip would have an end so that she wouldn't have to stare out at the gold world of Egypt much longer.

Her wish was finally granted when she saw a large expanse of canyons and rocky hills loom over in the distance; the yellowish disk that was the sun sat over the mountains lazily, indicating that it was sometime in the mid-afternoon and that they had been traveling for a few hours or so. Ishizu was driving straight over to the canyons, making them grow in size and detail as the jeep began to gain speed towards them. They had a lot of curves and edges embedded in the face of the rocky chasms and canyons, and it stood like a giant wall blocking their path to the Pharaoh's tomb. Finally they got close enough that Ishizu slowed her vehicle to a stop, and as she parked it everyone got ready to exit out onto the Egyptian sand.

"Where are we, Ishizu?" Anzu asked as she undid her seatbelt, though she did get the oddest feeling that she knew this place from somewhere before….

"We are near the Valley of the Kings, outside the area where Pharaoh Atemu's tomb is hidden, somewhere in the cavern here. We cannot drive through the openings in there, because the openings are quite narrow in some spots, so we will be going out on foot the rest of the way." At the mention of the Valle of the Kings and of Pharaoh Atemu's tomb, Anzu found some recognition stir within her; yes, she had been there once before, when she and the others traveled on Bobasa's back to find the Pharaoh's name in the Memory World. She knew now where they were, but that didn't help her memory in how to travel through the cavern since she didn't do that while she was in the Memory World since they had ridden on top of Bobasa the whole time. Ishizu seemed confidence though, so Anzu didn't have many worries as she opened the car door and put her feet on the Egyptian soil.

It felt strange to have her boots sink into the thick sand, its plushy texture giving way underneath her feet as she walked gingerly away from the jeep. Her steps were clumsy at first, as she tried desperately to get her footing right since she was in high heels and this was very deep, unstable sand. It reminded her of going to the beach, and struggling to walk to the ocean because the sand was so difficult to travel through, but after a bit of wobbling and near-falling moments she found her balance and walked over to Ishizu and Odion, who were already heading over to the entrance of the wall of rock.

Ryou followed close behind her, also unused to the deep sand but managing to walk alongside of her; Kaiba refused to show any sign of weakness, so as he got out of the jeep he simply walked as though he were on flat ground. Anzu marveled at how easily he walked with the sand under him, but she saw him wobble a little and that helped remind her that he was just as human as she was, despite how often he tried to hide it. He scowled the whole time as he approached them, making sure that they got the message about his state of mind- not that Anzu needed him to tell her that, since he was always a little on the serious side.

"Let's go" Ishizu beckoned, but Kaiba interrupted her.

"Okay, I've had enough of this. This is pathetic, driving over to some ancient tomb of some dead pharaoh to look for, something that I don't know about, and hoping that it will solve this problem- shouldn't we be hunting down this Samira person you said was keeping my brother, or are you all going to go pray to the dead pharaoh that you keep preaching about to help give us strength do to, whatever it is you think we're doing! Be reasonable for once-"

"Kaiba, relax will you?" Anzu heard a deep, hoarse voice say, and she was surprised to realize that it came from Ryou; upon closer inspection she saw that Bakura had taken over once again, his sharp brown eyes glaring over at Kaiba, who had crossed his arms in annoyance. "I don't want to hear you blab about how miserable you are with this, because believe me, I am far more pissed than you will ever be in your entirely wretched lifetime. Now, will you just come along, or do I have to drag you by that fancy trench coat of yours inside, because I will if you insist on being such a pain in my ass." Without another word the tomb robber turned abruptly and started towards the opening of the cavern, never glancing at anyone as he trudged away from them and shoved his way past Odion and Ishizu. Odion made a move like he was going to clobber the King of Thieves for even making such a disrespectful gesture to Ishizu, but the Egyptologist calmed him before he could even raise his fist. Anzu watched him in slight surprise, wondering why he seemed so agitated all of a sudden. She knew that he had his irritable times, but what he did just now was so uncalled for that it took her a little off guard. Still, it did helped in getting Kaiba to stop his complaining, because shortly after the fact he started to walk towards the opening as well- grumbling and completely infuriated, but still Bakura's threats had put him down a notch and they were back to being on their way to resurrecting the Pharaoh.

---

Author's Note: _Yeah! One B-day chappie for me! Send me your reviews soon, so that I can get them for mi birthday as a gift! Yes, I know, again not very exciting, but at least they are almost at the tomb and will be resurrecting Atemu soon! But remember folks that Samira is still out there and is ready to do all she can to stop our heroes in there, so be ready for anything that she throws out of them (hehe… I am evil, with how long this is taking… but I'm allowed to be evil, because I am special….hehe)._

Chu (little sister of mine): Oh yeah, she's special all right… if you mean "special ed"….

Me: GET THE HELL OUT OF THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE! GO WRITE UR OWN STORY!

_Well, that's all I have to say… so "Happy Birthday to me…." –blows little horn and shakes Elfbrat18's pom-poms around- "…wheee…" _


	30. The Larger Task Ahead

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note:_ Man, I think that I am a very lucky person indeed. I got a good couple of things for my b-day, including a two YGO manga books (Millennium World Series) and I got the game Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour. Eek, I am SO excited to use these things! And of course, the best gift was all of your nice reviews! Thanks guys!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 30: The Larger Task Ahead….**

The plane touched down smoothly on the runway as the sun held its stance just a few hours' distance over the horizon; several other planes landed with it on nearby runways, almost together in sequence, as they all made their way into the Egyptian airport.

Samira sat in one of the seats, looking out a window at the vast land of sand that represented all of Egypt. She grinned at the thought of sending this place into the Shadow Realm, her lips meeting the rim of a glass goblet filled with of the thick red liquid that she had earlier. She drank calmly, showing no signs of the excitement and lust for control that swept through her in a constant vigilant wave of desire, and then held the glass placidly in her hands as her plane came to a halt, and her mind slaves got up in unison to exit the plane. She waited for them all to leave before she herself got up to depart, a few of the other servants helping her to the door and assisting her down the stairs.

Then out of no where, a man dressed in uniform approached her, looking intently at her as she gave him a glance with no concern for him and his cause. He continued to grow near, and some of her bodyguards started to become tense, but with a wave of her hand they all relaxed around her, now just standing about mindlessly at their queen's command. The man came up to her and asked for her passport. He eyed her suspiciously, and began to get nervous at her nonchalant behavior towards him as she spoke.

"Child, who I am and where I go is of no concern to you." She swiftly showed him her left palm, and in a second he too was standing in front of her like the other mind slaves, dazed and looking like nothing but a human-sized puppet. She sighed, and then turned to one of her other servants.

"You" she barked. "Go fetch the others from the planes, while I find us a willing driver." She smirked delightfully at her own sinister self. "Actually, I may need to find a bus or two, considering the fact that I have brought an _army_ to this dreadful country!" She cackled loudly, throwing her head back dramatically, as she continued to stroll on into the crowds of innocent passengers, and off to wreak havoc upon all of Egypt.

---

"Ishizu, are we close to the tomb?" Anzu asked, feeling herself slip a little as she trudged through the deep sand. They had been walking for a good while now, and without a watch Anzu couldn't tell how long it had actually been since they started into this odd valley, but she knew that it had to have been more than ten minutes. The walls of rock that surrounded them on both sides were high and towering, shading them in from any sunlight that the Egyptian sky might still be shedding. She could see the blue sky above her in the tiniest crack that was the crack in the huge canyon, probably created by a river, or just plain erosion. It reminded of her of when they had been in America, during the fight against Dartz, and when they were located in the west in Death Valley. It did look similar to this, but Anzu had never traveled inside one of the canyons before; after this, she never wanted to do it again, because it was so windy and narrow that she was wondering when on earth they were going to find the end.

"It shouldn't be much farther now, Anzu" she heard Ishizu say, though it was a bit muffled because of the conscience effort Anzu had to put into lifting her feet up from the ground and because Ishizu was ahead of her by a couple of feet. The curator was in the lead, followed by Odion, Bakura, Kaiba, and Anzu; the brunette could feel her legs want to give out from exhaustion, as it was hard work to trek through sand for long periods of time. Anzu had fond memories of being at the beach, and being so tired from trying to get back through the sand to the parking spots that she felt so relieved once she sat down. Right now was the same situation, except that she couldn't sit down, and this wasn't the beach; she was on a mission to bring the Pharaoh back from the afterlife, and that is what she was going to do, whether her feet hurt or not.

"This is pathetic…" she thought she heard Kaiba mumble, but she took no heed; Kaiba had been complaining ever since this whole ordeal started, so that was nothing special. What did take her by surprise was the fact that Bakura remained so quiet and intense the entire walk; normally he would have cracked some wise-ass joke about Kaiba being an arrogant brat just to start a world war, but lately he was acting… strangely. That was the only word that Anzu could really use to describe it: strangely. She wasn't sure why he was acting that way, or what could have possibly caused it- perhaps the stress was getting to him as much as it was getting to her- but whatever the case it sure had him aggravated. Anzu only hoped that this wouldn't do anything to their cause, and if it did it would hopefully be around the range of Bakura kicking major ass because of his temper.

For some reason Anzu took notice that there was more sunlight than there used to be coming into the canyon. She was about to look up to see if the mouth of the canyon above her head had grown larger, but as she moved her head she saw that it wasn't the opening above her head that had grown in size but the passageway in front of them. It wasn't as narrow as it used to be, and the sand became less thick and hard to walk on. As the light became brighter Anzu had to shield her eyes with her hand so that she could see, but as her eyes got used to the sunlight she could see that they had walked out into a wide valley. It was all tan and brown, the color of the earth and sand, and mountains surrounded the area like protectors of the sacred tomb. The terrain was hilly and mountainous in form, and the rock that made it was rough in texture and looked just like the Grand Canyon to Anzu, but she had only briefly seen it when they were in America and on postcards and such; seeing something so similar in magnificence took her breath away slightly. The sun was a light orange color a good distance above the horizon, but it seemed to be coming down to kiss the earth at a fast pace. The sky was still a light blue, although now tints of ginger, magenta, and rose red streaked the area where the sun would set over within the next couple of hours. It was a beautiful sight, one that Anzu would have loved to spend all afternoon staring at with awe, but she could see the rest of her crew heading down the hill that they were on and starting towards a larger, flat expanse of earth, and she had no choice but to follow along.

"The Pharaoh's tomb is just ahead" Ishizu called out so that they all could hear her. "In that area over there." She pointed with her tan-skinned arm to what looked like a dead end, but as Anzu looked closer she could see a small opening at the very end, which was a long ways away from them but nothing too far for them to reach. They all began to trek towards it, the slightest hint of tiredness in their stances but they persisted nonetheless, though some were a little less eager to do this as others in the group. Kaiba had his arms crossed, and a tortured look on his face that meant death to all who challenged it. Fortunately for Bakura, he had a rock-solid attitude that could withstand such a death glare as his spirits rose up and he gave Kaiba a nasty smirk.

"Come now, Kaiba, you cannot be that bored, now can you?" He snickered as he watched Kaiba narrow his cerulean eyes, which are already quite slim so they turned into slivers of ice. "You shouldn't be so jaded. Things will be interesting soon enough, that I am sure of. Samira will find us, it is only a matter of time, so your chance to take her down will come- once I get my turn at her, that is."

Kaiba growled. "Hmph! What do you have to fight for, Ryou? Are you protecting someone here, or are you just looking to amuse yourself? If you haven't noticed, this psycho has my brother and if you're here just to have some fun than I suggest you get out of my way." Bakura was scowling now from being challenged so fiercely, and Anzu saw this as the perfect opportunity to find out why Bakura was protecting her in the first place. Both Bakura and Kaiba stopped where they were, and Anzu stood near by as they faced off against each other, their gazes so powerful that they could kill anything that they let their eyes fall on. Ishizu and Odion had gone a little ways ahead of them, but did stop to watch once they realized that no one was following the anymore. The stand off was tense, and neither of them spoke for a short while as they refused to stand down.

Finally, Bakura handed them his answer, his eyes closed as he took a deep breath, and grinned. "Like I said before, why I am here and what reasons I do have for helping any of you fools is my own personal motive, and not something that any of you should concern yourselves with. You have no need to be aware of my affairs. Now," he took his gaze away from Kaiba, who looked equally cold, and began to head for the mouth of the opening, "I think we only have a few hours of daylight left, so I think it would be wise if we made the best of it. Once night falls the land of Egypt will not be so kind to us." The tomb robber sauntered away, his black trench coat floating in the breeze, and though the air was still tense around the group the fight was soon forgotten as Bakura's words sank in. Yes, twilight will come soon, and as it was they had no idea how long their trip inside the Pharaoh's tomb would be. It was a good idea to get this over with as fast as possible, and the sooner Atemu came back to the world of the living the faster Samira would be turned to dust. Anzu sighed, relieving herself of the slight anxiety that she acquired from the almost battle royal that could have occurred before her, and she followed Bakura, along with Ishizu and Odion to the opening to the tomb.

Kaiba stood alone for a few moments as he watched the dorks move along to the resting place of the Pharaoh. He hated them, and despised the very thought of putting up with them much longer; he could just go after Samira himself, and he knew that with his power and money he could easily locate her and find his brother without any problems. However, he really didn't enjoy the idea that this woman had supposed "mind control" powers. He had seen what it could do to anyone- the effects being evident during his Battle City Tournament when Marik was a prime force to be reckoned with- and to know that this lady had the ability to actually control _him _again if she ever ran into him was something that made his blood run a little cold. Also, Anzu was the only one who seemed to have a way to rid him of this magic, so did he have any choice? He may not have liked it- in truth he _loathed _it- but it appeared that he needed to rely on these dweebs for a little support. _Or at least until I find Samira. Then I'll play by my own rules. _He turned around, and followed the others to the opening to the tomb.

Meanwhile, Anzu, Bakura, Ishizu, and Odion were already at the opening, preparing to head out into the dark passageway. It was so pitch black, even in the daylight; Anzu couldn't see the end of it no matter how hard she squinted. On the part of the walls that were in the sunlight Anzu could see ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and drawings carved into the rough cream-colored stone, and as Anzu took in a breath she could smell the scent of musk and very old things come to her in a light, cool draft that escaped the tomb. She wasn't sure how they were going to walk through there without a light of some sort, but then she saw Odion pull out a flashlight from inside his robes and handed it over to Ishizu, who turned it on and directed the light into the passage.

"Are you always this prepared?" Bakura asked Ishizu slyly, and the tomb keeper glared back at him as he nonchalantly strolled into the entrance of the tomb, with the others following him.

"I always have flashlights in my jeep- I told Odion to bring it with us before we left the car."

Bakura scoffed. "Whatever. I really don't care that much. Let's just wake the ol' Pharaoh up and tell him to go kick Samira's ass back to hell." He continued to walk into the passage, his feet thumping against the old floor and echoing like a drum in the empty hall. Soon the others began to join in, their footsteps adding to the beat and it became a symphony of erratic thumps and clicks.

"How far does this hall go, Ishizu?" Anzu asked once the silence began to creep in on her a little too swiftly. All was dark around them, except for the small ray of light that the flashlight gave off, and it almost made Anzu a bit claustrophobic of the darkness sneaking in.

"It is thirty meters underground, so it might be a bit of a walk." The Egyptologist looked over at Anzu, and saw her nervousness. "But the time will pass quickly, and we'll be there in no time, Anzu."

"Ishizu, you said that you had your team blocked the entrance to the Pharaoh's tomb so that no one could get in" Bakura interrupted, his hoarse voice echoing against the walls as he spoke and making it project far into the passage. "If that's the case, then how will we get in?"

Ishizu gave a sort of half-smile as she continued on walking. "You will see, Bakura."

A few minutes and several steps later, the end of the hallway finally came. It opened up into a relatively large room, with statues watching them in the corners and long lines of hieroglyphs decorating the walls. The flashlight landed on the door that should have been in front of them, but it had been sealed with a large slab of solid stone so that no soul could enter from this point. Anzu treaded softly into the room, remembering how there were many traps back when she was in Atemu's memory world and had to go into his tomb to find his name. She looked around, but didn't see anything suspicious at the moment. Ishizu noticed her carefulness and smirked.

"Anzu, there is no need to be so cautious." In seeing Anzu's confusion, Ishizu explained. "My team removed all the traps that we found. The tomb is now relatively safe to us." Anzu relaxed a little and watched as the Egyptologist turned the light of the flashlight away from the main door, and instead turned it to the wall on the right. She began to walk towards it, and as she did so she touched a small panel t hat wasn't noticeable to Anzu until Ishizu got near it. She pressed it in, and as she did so the room started to shake. Anzu became frightened as the ground under her feet shook, and she felt dust grace her face as it dislodged from the ceiling and walls. She glanced around to see Bakura looking very alarmed and Odion also appearing a little startled at the room's sudden movement. Anzu was about to run out of there out of fear that the room was about to collapse, but before she could command her legs to do so, she watched in awe as a part of the wall rose up steadily, grinding against the rocky edges that surrounded it as the secret door opened to another passage, this time a winding one that looked to be carved lees professionally than the one leading to this room.

Finally, the rumbling stopped and the panel stopped rising, revealing a large rectangular opening that was big enough for them to go through. Anzu stared at it in amazement, and was unable to say anything in response; luckily for her, she heard a set of footsteps coming through the passageway they had come from previously and someone walked into the chamber.

"So, looks like you dorks are a little clueless, as always." Kaiba approached them without pausing much to think about his movements, as he was unaware that any traps had existed in this room. He walked up to Ishizu, and headed into the corridor that the curator had just opened. Before he did so, he stopped to look back at the others. "Well? What are you waiting for? Are we going to get this over with or not?" He disappeared inside the dark hallway, taking the flashlight out of Ishizu's hands and heading inside.

_He wasn't here when the room started moving_, Anzu thought, just a little bothered by Kaiba's superior attitude. Speaking of which….

"Ishizu, what did you just do?" The gang quickly trailed the CEO, since he was the one with the flashlight now and without him they would be stuck in the blackness of the tomb.

"When my team was examining the room, we discovered this extra passageway, and it leads to another opening to the Pharaoh's tomb" Ishizu said as they tagged behind Kaiba. "It too was riddled with traps, but we cleared them to the best of our abilities and disabled any of the others."

Bakura smirked. "Interesting, Ishizu, though I doubt that this will keep any grave robbers out for long once they realize the location of this tomb. I am, after all, a crafty tomb robber myself, and if you had given me some time I could have found that opening easily."

"Hopefully, that won't be the case once this is over" Ishizu replied. "Once this affair with Samira is finished I will have the tomb completely sealed off, so that even you won't be able to get in."

"Feh! Give me some dynamite, and we'll see about that" Anzu thought she heard Bakura whisper, but she dismissed it as they approached the end of the tunnel; it brought them to a huge room, so big that Anzu couldn't see to the end even with the flashlight. As they entered, though, torches on the walls suddenly lit up around them as though run by electricity. Anzu gasped in surprise.

"This another one of your alterations to the Pharaoh's tomb, Ishizu?" Bakura inquired, but the curator shook her head.

"This didn't happen the last time I was in this room. My team merely passed through it- we didn't take that much time to look at this room, but if torches unexpectedly lit up in this chamber than I'm sure we would have noticed."

With the light from the torches helping them to see, Anzu now had full view of the extremely large room that they were presently in. It was huge, with a high ceiling and the whole thing looked like it could stretch out for miles and miles. The walls were the color of sand, and they were adorned with thousands upon thousands of hieroglyphs, all of them written tightly against one another so that they could all fit. They were everywhere: on the floor, the walls, the ceiling… every space on the room was littered with these hieroglyphs, and Anzu began to wonder why there were so many. What could possibly be the purpose of all of these symbols?

There was a slab of stone in the center of the room, and Anzu walked towards it, while some of the others spread throughout the room. Anzu noticed that the slab reminded her of a doctor's table where they make you lie down as they take your examination. It was large enough for a person the lay on, but again what was the purpose of this object? How did this tie in with the Pharaoh's resurrection?

"Oh no…." Anzu abruptly turned to see Ishizu reading a particularly large set of hieroglyphs on the wall to the left of the opening that they came through. She looked very shocked, and her face turned a bit pale as she inspected the writing.

"What's wrong, Miss Ishizu?" Odion asked, concern lacing his deep voice.

"This is going to be much harder than we first thought" Ishizu replied, not turning around to face any of them.

"Oh?" Kaiba asked impatiently, "And why is that, Ishizu?" The curator was silent for a moment, and then she slowly turned to look at all of them, her eyes big and blue as she spoke.

"This… is the Resurrection Chamber-"

"Well good. I thought you were going to tell us otherwise" Bakura interrupted, a grin on his face, but Ishizu refused to look relieved. "What? Something else wrong?"

"If you had let me finish then you would know by now" Ishizu spat, then referred back to her low, mysterious voice that had a tendency to build up the suspense as she revealed something. "But, resurrecting the Pharaoh from the afterlife may pose a great challenge to us. The hieroglyphs that I just read state that the only way to bring back the dead king is to chant a phrase and use Shadow Magic as you speak it, which should stimulate the manifestation of the body of the Pharaoh. However" she sighed, "there is a catch. The one phrase that we are looking for… is somewhere on these walls. And we have to find the right one in order to bring back Pharaoh Atemu."

Anzu was sure that she heard Bakura and Kaiba curse off a variety of colorful words that she dared not repeating; Odion just bowed his head as Ishizu made the game that they had to play known. As for Anzu, she simply looked up at the ceiling, at the great expanse of words and pictures that she had no hope of reading, and she knew that they had little chance of reviving Atemu. There were too many hieroglyphs to read, and the only ones who could read them were Ishizu and Odion. With only two people with the ability to read this ancient text, they would never have enough time to find the one phrase that they needed for the resurrection.

_What are we going to do now_?

---

Author's Note: _Woo! That was LONG! About four thousand words in this one, which is the most I've ever typed for a chappie yet!... I blame all the description I used._

_Well, that's all for now. Thanks for your creative ways of giving me a great b-day!_


	31. Words of Power

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note:_ Hello all of my loyal reader! Are you ready for another exciting chapter of this wondrous fanfiction that I have brought to you?..._

_Good! Then don't let me keep you waiting!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 31: Words of Power….**

The light from the sun initiated its setting, leaving the rich colors of red, mango, canary yellow, and amethyst streaking the skies as if someone had spilled paint on it. The blueness of the sky was beginning to fade into the swirls of other colors, and any clouds that embarked across the palette of sunset beauty reflected the colors around it, so that they looked like puffs of multi-colored cotton candy. The wind moved the clouds along at a gentle pace, and the dunes inched only slightly from the power of the desert breeze.

Samira stood in the middle of the Egyptian desert, surrounded by her army of four hundred or so mind slaves. Those were the ones that were to accompany her to the desert; the rest were doing her other biddings, including tracking down Anzu Mazaki in the Valley of the Kings. _There's no doubt in my mind that she will be there_. She left that job to one of her more loyal servants, Malik; after all, he was the brother of that Egyptologist, or so his mind told her, and it was clear to her that he would have the knowledge of where Anzu and her little crew of companions had ventured off to.

"Find them" she had commanded to him earlier in the day. "And do not return until you have Anzu with you, dead or alive… though preferably dead." The white-haired boy had vanished quickly after she gave him her decree, and then she went off to take care of more pressing matters.

That was why she was in the middle of the desert.

She closed her crimson eyes, focusing on her Shadow Magic deeply so that she could evoke it at the given moment. She started to chant, her voice low at first but it steadily rose as she concentrated on the words that she whispered, then said, then shouted to the loudest note that she could muster. Samira felt the Shadow Magic envelop her, its cool touch like the evening breeze in Cairo, encasing her with its power as she let her chanted words be heard. They were in an old Egyptian dialect that she knew very well, and the spell that she now recited was one that was quite familiar to her. It only took a few more chants, but Samira knew as soon as she heard the rumbling of the earth below her that the spell that she had cast was taking effect. She opened her blood-red eyes to watch the magic unfold.

A good distance away from her, sand was being displaced as something started to emerge from the desert's depths. At first it didn't look like much, but as it rose and more tidal waves of sand poured off it like waterfalls, one could see that it was a large building of some sort. It was the color of sand, and looked very elegant and royal. It continued to rise, and as it did so it became obvious as to what it was: an Egyptian palace.

It wasn't just one building but several all clustered around each other. There was large Egyptian hieroglyphs decorating the walls on some, and the entire palace appeared to be made of bricks made of sand. They were not tall buildings like a medieval caste with huge towers, but they were numerous and plentiful, just as a regular Egyptian palace for the royalty of ancient Egypt would look like. A barrier also came up around the perimeter of the palace, and as it rose it did so with Samira and her servants inside the palace walls, surrounding them.

Finally the shaking of the earth stopped, and the palace stopped rising from the sand. Samira looked around at her grounds, at the area that now belonged to her again. _Nothing has changed_. Her palace little palace was still the same as it was when she was last in it, just before her capture and death. _These people shall pay for the misdeeds they have done to me and my kind_. She cackled at the thought, and then proceeded inside the palace entrance with her army of servants in tow.

---

"This is hopeless!" shouted Bakura as he kicked at the ground menacingly. "How the hell are we supposed to find this 'phrase' when the majority of us can't even read hieroglyphs!"

"Bakura, you used to live in ancient Egypt- don't you remember how to read these glyphs?" Anzu asked, hoping not to offend the tomb robber since his temper was so flared, but at the same time she was annoyed by his negative attitude, despite how realistic it was. He snorted at her as he glared at a wall.

"Anzu, it has been over five millennia since I have ever taken the time to even _see_ hieroglyphs, let alone read them! You cannot expect me to remember something as useless as reading!"

"So the great King of Thieves has no use for reading, but can remember every tomb in this area for miles?" Ishizu asked, a bit of sarcasm in her voice that was always saved for Bakura. "Great skill to keep with you for ages, oh king."

"Shut up." He spat, now pacing as he glanced up at the wall near him every few seconds. Anzu sighed, and then turned her attention to Ishizu. "How's the search going so far?"

"Not so good." The Egyptologist looked away from the wall and instead over at the slab of stone that was in the middle of the room, where Anzu was now sitting. "All of these phrases make no real sense to me at all. They're more like… riddles."

"Well that's just great" Kaiba hissed, irritated. "This is just great! We're wasting valuable time- time that should be spent hunting down that bitch Samira and rescuing Mokuba-"

"Give it a rest, Kaiba" Bakura growled. "Tell me, Ishizu, what are these so-called riddles?"

"Actually, I'm not even sure if they are that." She delicately touched her hand to the cold rough stone of the wall. "This one here says, 'Bird with wings of gold fly high, soar like spirits to the sky, where heaven wait and demons fall, where the gods of Egypt send their call' and this one over here states, 'Shadow cry for souls departed, feast on life that has not started, or the life that is to end, in hour's wake and night's swift bend'. They are like poems, or chants for rituals. And they don't give any sort of idea as to which one is meant for the Pharaoh's rebirth."

Anzu now felt completely depressed; what did these chants have to do with bringing back the Pharaoh? Did they have to just recite one and he would return? Or would they have to solve the riddle, like a game that they had to play, just to get something in return? And with these chants, they all sounded more like sweet poems told for a literary club, not a ritual of resurrection. She was so confused that she wanted to start banging her head against the slab underneath her.

"Are you having any luck over there, Odion?" Ishizu called across the room to where Odion was reading another paragraph of ancient text. He looked over at her and shook his head.

"Nothing yet, Miss Ishizu. None of them sound like a summoning chant to me as of yet." The curator sighed heavily.

"Keep looking then. I'm sure we'll find it soon."

"No we won't." Everyone turned around to look at the speaker, who was Bakura. He had his back to all of them as he had his head tilted towards the highest part of the wall before him. His voice, though still coarse and rough, was a little softer as he spoke very quietly. "This is a trap. This place is designed so that we cannot find the phrase that we are looking for, so that no one can disturb the Pharaoh's eternal rest. This is a waste, we should just leave."

"No, we have come too far" Ishizu argued, but then Kaiba stepped into the argument as well.

"For once, and though it does sicken me to say this, I have to agree with Ryou over there. This is a hopeless cause, and we should start doing what I suggested earlier, which was to hunt Samira down and defeat her in an all-out attack. I have the money- I can get my firing squad to do that-"

"That would never work! Samira is an immortal! If you attempt to kill her with something as petty as a gun, she will not die" Ishizu countered.

"But what choice do we have! My brother is with her! We need to take her down as soon as possible-"

"This is about the world, Kaiba, not just you and your brother-"

"So instead you suggest that we continue to stand around here and look at some ancient writing, with no chance of us ever finding the right phrase? And who ever said that that magic mumbo-jumbo shit ever worked? We 're wasting our time and effort!"

Anzu sat quietly as she listened to the argument heat up around her; Kaiba and Bakura had teamed up against Ishizu and Odion, and both sides had very convincing reasons for the side that they were fighting for. Kaiba and Bakura were right: maybe taking out Samira first would help them more than this search was so far, considering that it was an endless search for the right phrase that they weren't even sure of. On the other hand, Ishizu and Odion wanted to bring back the Pharaoh, because they believed that only he could defeat Samira, and that this was a necessary hardship that they simply had to overcome. Anzu was stuck in the middle, watching as the quarrel started to get out of control, and the two sides were now yelling at each other constantly, their voices echoing off the walls like they were in a cave and hurting Anzu's ears. She wasn't sure what to say, instead remaining silent as they bickered, and to distract herself she looked at the walls at the hieroglyphs they displayed.

For some reason she was drawn to this one area of text, and though she couldn't read it the words called out to her somehow. Anzu stood up from the slab of stone, and tilted her head up to get a better look at it; her companions failed to notice her as she walked towards the wall, still looking at the hieroglyphs. Then she stopped halfway there, and her body froze- she was unable to use it anymore, and though she should have been fighting the inability to move she felt no need. The words that she was staring at began to glow, and then Anzu felt the familiar warmth of Atemu's cartouche flood through her body as the sweet chiming noise that it gave out sounded in her mind. She could feel her lips moving, she could lightly hear the muffled whisper of her voice saying words that she did not understand, and then her vision went black.

---

_Atemu sat on his plush king-sized bed, the silk blankets touching his skin as he rolled over onto his side. He could not sleep, could not find rest… his thoughts kept tossing and turning over and over in his mind as soon as he attempted to silence them. He was still in his clothes, for he was too busy trying to sleep to remember to change out of them, and the candle in his room that gave off such a soft glow for the night was still lit, as he forgot to snuff it out before he went to sleep. But he wasn't sleeping, so it made no difference to him. _

_The night was quiet, save the distant hum of voices that signaled that the party was still going on down in the main hall. He sighed, wishing that he could enjoy it, but for some reason he could not bring himself to like his new life here in the afterlife. He loved being with his people, with his father and Siamun and all the others from his past, but there was an empty space in his heart- the place where Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Anzu used to be. He missed them terribly, and if he had the chance he would go to the living world and visit them, if only for a short period of time. But he was dead now, and in his own time… he had to deal with that small fact of reality now. _

"_Atemu!" A distant voice called, and at first he ignored it, think that it was Mana coming to bother him, but as soon as he recognized the voice he leapt up out of his bed. That's Anzu's voice! he thought, startled that he would here her crying out to him in the afterlife. Perhaps he was hallucinating; too much homesickness could have caused him to start imagining Anzu calling him in the night._

"_Atemu!" The voice called again, this time louder and far more definite. Now Atemu was worried, because he shouldn't be able to hear Anzu calling out to him like this._

"_Atemu!" This time he knew it was real; there was no doubt in his mind whatsoever. Quickly he stormed across the large area of his room and headed out, trying to find the source of the voice that cried out to him._

"_Atemu!" The voice was coming from a hallway nearby; Atemu rushed towards it, his hair rustling as he tried to hurry towards it. He headed down the hall that he thought he heard the voice, now unsure where he should go since there were so many rooms that were down this way._

"_Atemu!" With another call from the mysterious person Atemu located the room that it was coming from. He was familiar with the room, since it was the one with the mirror that he was peeing into earlier that day. He entered cautiously, in doubt that perhaps this wasn't some sort of trap. As he neared the mirror, he looked at its glassy surface, and as he did so it rippled out like someone had thrown a stone into a pool of water._

"_Atemu!" The voice was coming from the mirror! Atemu grabbed the edges of the looking glass, his eyes wide with shock._

"_Anzu!" He shouted, hoping to get some sort of answer, but instead of hearing the voice cry again the mirror started to glow. Before he had a chance to let go of it, the mirror had him frozen, his arms still gripping its rim and his body still looking into the glass. He could not pull his eyes away as he suddenly saw images of a large room that looked like something he would see in an Egyptian tomb. There were hieroglyphs all over the walls and floor, and there were people in the room- people that he knew. _

"_Bakura?" He saw the white-haired tomb robber shouting at a woman in a cream-colored dress who had long black hair. "Ishizu? Odion? Kaiba! What on earth am I seeing!" Then he noticed Anzu, standing alone and away from all the rest of the commotion. She was staring up at a wall, staring up at where he was watching. He could see something glowing on her chest, and then he saw her whisper a single word:_

_Atemu._

_Suddenly the world around Atemu began to spin out of focus, becoming a dizzy mess of no exact reality. He felt faint, unsure of what was happening to him, and he felt like he was being pulled into the mirror, into the image that he was watching. Everything became a colorful swirl of colors from the rainbow and beyond, making him feel like he was being transported somewhere. He wanted to yell, but to no avail; if he was screaming then he simply could not hear it. He wanted to feel solid ground, but his feet were suddenly dangling above him as he swirled around and around, into a vortex of which he had no idea where he was going, or why he was leaving at all. _

_Meanwhile, Atemu had become completely unaware that he was being watched by someone from the entrance of the room, as he disappeared into the mirror. The Pharaoh vanished into a flash of bright light, and then he was gone, showing no signs of ever being there at all. The mirror had become clear again, and the room was quiet, just like the night only a few moments before, save the slight sound of a deep sigh that came from the person who had been watching the whole time._

"_Good luck, my son" Akhenamkhanen whispered._

---

Author's Note: _There ya go! I'm back with the suspenseful, thrilling chappies that I so love to write! Sorry to leave you hanging like that but it must be done for the good of the fanfic, and my hands, for they are tired from all the typing. Til the next update then!_


	32. From Air to Flesh

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Wow, I'm popping these chappies out like hotcakes! Or French toast… yum, I love French toast… Imade some on Saturdayfor me and Chu (no that is not her real name), the little sister that insulted me in an earlier author's note. Yes, she may not deserve it after that… but I loves that little brat with all my heart and I will tell her this: WILL YOU PLEASE GET YOUR FANFIC DONE ALREADY! IT NEEDS TO BE SHOWN TO THE WORLD! Thank you for your time._

_Sorry for the slight weight, I couldn't get this fanfic chappie out because would not let me get my document on, but now I got it here so I'm pretty happy!_

_And to those of you who think you know what shall occur next, I suggest that you read this chappie first, because you might be surprised… MWHAHAHAHAHAHA!_

_(cough, cough) Never mind, just read._

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 32: From Air to Flesh….**

Bakura had been yelling at Ishizu and Odion for a while, his voice a little more hoarse than usual as he tried to get his way. It was the right thing to do, leave and go a out to assassinate Samira on their own; there was no progress here anyway, so why did they even bother in looking for something that might not even work? Still, he knew that he was supposed to be helping Anzu get the Pharaoh's feet back on solid ground, but what did he care? He was the great King of Thieves, so why did he think that he should help her out when he was supposed to be the evil tomb robber? _It's because I want Samira in a coffin_, he thought to himself, and just when he was about to further drive his point of view like a nail into the thick skulls of his Egyptian companions, he noticed something going on behind the two of them that both Ishizu and Odion had failed to see as of yet.

"Anzu?" Everybody stopped arguing at the mention of the brunette, all turning to see what Bakura was talking about. They saw her standing alone, facing one of the walls. She was perfectly straight, standing without moving or making any signs that she was alive. They could hear someone whispering in ancient Egyptian, and it was getting louder. When they realized that she was the one who was chanting, Ishizu, Odion, and Bakura ran over to her while Kaiba simply stood around watching the scene unfold.

"Anzu? What is it?" Ishizu asked as the three of them reached over to the girl. She failed to respond to them as she continued to stare up at the wall, her eyes blank and empty as she continued to chant, her lips moving at incredible speed as the cartouche around her neck was glowing with a golden light.

"Hey, wake up!" Bakura shouted snottily, but Anzu still didn't move. Ishizu and Odion were on her left and right while Bakura didn't dare to get too close to the mesmerized girl.

"I think she's in some sort of trance" Odion said as Ishizu shook her shoulders a little.

"Well, what is she staring at?" Bakura spat, noticing that her eyes were held by something on the wall, and as he glanced up he noticed that a group of hieroglyphs were glowing with the same golden light as the cartouche. Ishizu and Odion looked up as well. "What does that say?"

Ishizu squinted her eyes as she tried to see the symbols past the light they gave off. "It says 'Light of Egypt rise like the sun, from pit of peach the earth is spun, shadows flee but lost is heart, exchange of that which one cannot live to part'…. This must be it! This must be the phrase that we were looking for!" Anzu was chanting louder now, her voice monotonously repeating the same phrase in Egyptian over and over again. She didn't move or blink or do otherwise; only chanted, evoking the power of the hieroglyphs.

"Well, what is she doing?" Bakura shouted, trying to speak over the chanting, which wasn't that loud but was a nuisance to talk over.

"She's resurrecting the Pharaoh" Odion whispered, "but I don't understand how she was able to find the right passage, or how she can speak Egyptian!"

"It's the cartouche, it's working through her!" Ishizu said, but just as she finished saying that a bright light from both the cartouche and the scripture erupted at once, blinding all three of them, and giving Kaiba something to squint at. _What the hell?_! He thought, before the room became immersed in white light.

---

Anzu wasn't sure is she was dreaming, or if this was all for real… everything was all hazy and she felt very light-headed. There was white light all around her, and she was somewhere… where was she… what had happened? She didn't know, she did not care; she felt like something important had just been completed, and that all was well.

She saw a silhouette of a body in the air in front of her. She saw the spiky hair in the outline, and she knew who it was… as he came closer he became a dark image against the white light behind him, and Anzu thought that she saw the faintoutline of wings on his back that slowly faded away into the light as he came up to her, and disappeared into her as he embraced her tight….

_Atemu_….

_I knew you would come_….

---

Anzu was suddenly lying down, her upper body supported by someone's hands, looking at one of the walls of the resurrection chamber. She could see all the hieroglyphs, and everything else looked the same. But for some reason she felt like she had fainted and for that she was unsure what had just occurred.

"Good, you are awake" she heard a voice above her say; Anzu tilted her head to see Ishizu looking at her, holding her up with her arms and slowly letting Anzu support herself with her hand on the floor. The brunette put a hand to her head, still feeling a bit dizzy but otherwise okay for the most part. "Ishizu? What happened?"

"Many things, including Atemu's revival." Upon hearing this Anzu nearly leapt up to stand, her heart thumping madly at the thought that Atemu was back, but the instant she tried the world started to spin around her and she had to go back down on her knees.

"Atemu? He's back? Where is he?" Anzu again tried to stand, this time succeeding because she went a little more slowly; Ishizu helped her up, and then pointed with a tan-skinned hand to the slab in the center of the room.

"There." Anzu could see Atemu's form lying on the slab, and he appeared to be sleeping. He was dressed in his Egyptian attire, with the purple cape and white tunic, just like in her dreams; he was adorned with gold bracelets, earrings, and bands all over his body, and they sparkled under the light of the torches around the room. His hair was the same as it ever was, all spiky and wild with the streaks of purple and crimson on the edges of his black hair, his blonde bangs framing his face like the sunlight is framed by the blue sky and clouds. He looked very serene, and completely undisturbed in his slumber. Anzu wasn't sure what to think, that perhaps he was dead or simply sleeping; he looked like his chest was slowly lifting up and down, but then again, maybe that wasn't the case?

Odion was standing near the Pharaoh, watching over the body with respect and protection in his stance, while Bakura and Kaiba were just hanging around in various spots, either staring at them or at space with deep scowls on their faces as the silence set in fast. Anzu got nervous when no one started talking.

"Ishizu, why is Atemu-"

"Like that?" Anzu nodded. "That is how he came to this world. We saw you looking at the wall very intently, and you were actually chanting the resurrection spell for Atemu's return. We couldn't snap you from the trance, but then there was a bright light, and when it faded away Atemu's body was there on the slab, just as you see it now."

"Yeah, but is he-"

"No, he's alive- just sleeping. Though we aren't sure as of yet, Odion and I have assumed that when Atemu was reborn, a body was created with the magic that you evoked, but it is just a shell. His body harbors no soul, and we have only preformed the first half of the ritual. Now we have to find a way to bring his soul back as well." Anzu walked over with Ishizu to Pharaoh Atemu's body, watching him breath slowly and deeply in sleep. _He looks so peaceful_, Anzu thought as she viewed his sleeping state, his eyes closed and his lips turned up with the lightest smile. All was quiet as Anzu watched the Pharaoh breath- until Bakura finally got too aggravated to stay quiet.

"Alright, so now we have dead body that has no soul and is completely useless to us until we get it. That'll solve all our problems, now won't it?"

"Hush, Bakura" Ishizu warned, as Anzu gently moved a stray bang from Atemu's placid face. His skin was cool, and felt a bit like ice; he didn't stir at all to her touch, which made Anzu a bit sad; after all she wanted to see him awake so badly, but now another obstacle would prevent that from happening. What were they to do now?

"Is the answer to the next part of the ritual in this room too?" Anzu asked intently, but Ishizu just shook her head.

"I don't think so, but I will guess that it has something to do with the chant that you used to bring him back."

"What did I say?"

Ishizu glanced over at the wall from which the passage that Anzu read was written, and quickly scanned it until she found what she was looking for. "It reads, 'Light of Egypt rise like the sun, from pit of peach the earth is spun, shadows flee but lost is heart, exchange of that which one cannot live to part'." The curator looked back at Anzu. "Odion and I have yet to translate this into any sort of valuable information, but I do have a suspicion that this may be what we need to figure out how to bring back Atemu's soul from the afterlife- or wherever it may be."

"So, what should we do now?" Anzu asked. Bakura stood up from his sitting position on the cold floor of the resurrection chamber and moseyed over to them, his hands in his pants pockets and a look of utter arrogance on his pale face.

"I think the answer is mildly obvious" he spat, his voice failing to hide his overly-Bakura personality. "We need to leave, and quick. Samira must be in Egypt by now, and even if she isn't some of her servants will be instead- they're probably searching for us now, and it would be very stupid of any of us to stay here for much longer, since this is the most obvious place for us to be hiding in."

"How is this place obvious?" Odion inquired. "There are several places we could be: the Ishtar house, one of the museums, any other tomb… Egypt is a very large country, so how is it that this one tomb in the Valley of the Kings, has so much potential to be a target."

"Is there a brain in that bald head of yours?" Bakura responded viciously- so much so that Odion clenched his fists. "First of all, we are in the tomb of the Pharaoh, a place that would be, for us, one of the first places to go to look for assistance in defeating Samira. Second, don't forget who she has on her side that has a great amount of knowledge when it comes to the Tomb Keeper Clan…."

"Malik" Ishizu whispered, while Bakura nodded.

"Exactly- he will be her main weapon of choice when trying to find us in Egypt, since he knows so much about modern Egypt and the location of many of the tombs here in Egypt, including Pharaoh Atemu's, I'm sure."

"But that's impossible! Only I know of its whereabouts!" Ishizu said, but Bakura raised his hand up to silence her.

"Don't assume that, Ishizu- Malik may know more than he has let on, so would be wise of us to leave the tomb now before we are ambushed instead. We have all the information that we need, right? If that's the case than we should find somewhere less suspicious to hide. Anyone disagree?" Everyone was silent, and when Kaiba looked like he was about to spit out some form of a complaint, Bakura said, "And don't say anything Kaiba because I already know you have something to bitch about anyway."

"I don't obey dweebs" Kaiba snarled. "And I wasn't going to argue against you- for once. What I was about to say was that we'll need somewhere to go to if this plan of yours is to be of any success. Where to, losers?"

"Let's figure that out once we're in the jeep" Odion said, and as he did so the tomb keeper gingerly picked the Pharaoh up into his arms and held him to his chest; Atemu's body didn't resist, limply hanging from Odion's hold like a child in a deep sleep. Anzu watched, thinking about how gentle and delicate Atemu appeared now, in comparison to when he was awake and expressing his strong, undefeatable persona. She hoped that she would be able to see that side soon, as she was sure that now her next mission was to find out how to bring the Pharaoh's soul into his body, and help him destroy the evil entity that was Samira. "I shall carry the Pharaoh to the jeep, since I am the strongest here."

"Ooh, I should feel insulted now, right?" Bakura snickered, and Odion glared in response. "Well, fine with me- I don't want to touch that shell of a snot anyway. I am tempted to kick it a few times though- think he'll feel a thing?"

"Bakura, stop it" Anzu said, as the group made their way over to the entrance to the secret passageway that brought them into the resurrection room. As they left, the torches all faded out into the darkness, and the chamber was once again the dismal, undisturbed place that it has been for the last five millennia.

They traveled through the small tunnel, with Kaiba directing the light of the flashlight in front of them as they walked; they were back in the main chamber soon enough, and moved without speaking to one another through the main passage back outside into the Valley of the Kings. It looked like a an hour or two had passed, since the sun was now close to touching the mountainous horizon and shadows draped the rugged landscape. The sky was a kaleidoscope of reds, oranges, yellows, and purples that swirled and streaked the canvas of clouds like nothing else in the world could, making the outside seem surreal and dream-like. The air was no longer as hot as it used to be, instead cooling off to the desert night and if a breeze did pick up it send chills up Anzu's body, reminding her of the weather back in Domino. There was hardly a sound, even for an outside area; normally Anzu was expecting to hear some sort of animal lurking about the sandy valley, but there wasn't even that. All seemed silent- and dead.

"Let's go" Ishizu whispered, and the crew started their trek towards the hill that they had come from. As they walked the only sound that they heard was the slight thud of their feet against the sand, and the shallow breathing that they had acquired from the tension of the situation. Anzu began to feel doubtful that they were really alone in the canyon, because it was too quiet to be a natural silence. It was like a conscious stillness, where someone was making an effort to remain out of their view, and this uncertainty made Anzu glance around her occasionally. She could see Bakura and Kaiba looking around themselves as well, and she could tell that they were sensing the same thing as she was: trouble.

Silence ensnarled them for several moments, until Bakura startled them all by whispering in the lowest voice possible.

"We are being watched" he hissed.

"No shit Sherlock" Kaiba responded quietly, but just as he said this a dark figure flew off in the distance, running at fast speeds between two boulders. Everyone stopped moving, and their heads wheeled about to try and see what the cause of the movement was.

"What was that?" Anzu asked, nervous. Another form sped in the distance, and then another, and another. There were many of them, all moving so quickly that they could not be seen except for the dark blur that they left behind for merely a second. Anzu's legs tensed, her breathing became stiff, and her blue eyes were wild with fear. They had been found, and now, they were being hunted.

"G-Guys…" she stammered, then found clarity in her voice as her body sprang into action, and headed for the mountains. There was only one word that she could yell before she became completely immersed in the prospect of running, now because if she didn't, her life would be at stake.

"RUN!"

---

Author's Note: _Another cliff hanger for all of you! MWHAHAHAHAHA! Hope this satisfied any urges you've had for a good surprise! Bye!_


	33. Run, run, as fast as you can

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Hey, guess what! I am now a proud writer in one of the funniest YGO fics out there, "From the Twisted Mind Of' by one of my favorite authors, LeoOsaka Bakura's Stalker! I am in chappie 17, and I play Dartz, so anyone interested in reading how I play ol' Dartz out please read his fic! And then give him a nice review, because he deserves it… and don't just read me, read the whole thing! Those are some great authors and they deserve to have their funny entries read! (And then send this authoress a personal message telling her what you thought of her entry, because she is curious to know if you enjoyed her writing humor… and she also wants to know why she is talking in the third person… hmm, never mind, just R x R for me, will ya!)_

_P.S. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I have been very busy! Forgive me, my loyal readers! _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 33: Run, run, as fast as you can….**

"RUN!" Anzu felt herself fly through the air like a horse galloping at full speed; she needed to get away from the canyon, towards the jeep, back to safety. She could sense the others around her, also pushing themselves as fast as they could possibly go in order to escape. The black forms were swarming like flies around them now, trying to block them off from the exit, but were not making much progress as Bakura and Kaiba just kept knocking them all into the sand.

"Who are these guys!" Anzu asked in between quick inhales that kept her from speaking much or parching her throat.

"They are more of Samira's servants- another bunch of assassins!" Bakura yelled as he punched one blur of a man down into the dirt, revealing a person resembling a ninja of some sort. He was dressed in black cloth from head to two, with just a slight bit of gauze around his eyes to hide his face. Anzu had no time to look further though, since she was already focused on continuing her running before the man even got up.

"But these guys aren't like the ones in Domino!" Anzu remembered how the slaves that attacked her back at the museum, where they more or less resembled zombies than killers to the brunette. Those guys were slow and in large numbers, where their massive size could overwhelm the enemy; with the assailants that they were faced with now, Anzu couldn't even see them move, and though they were in less numbers they were still a huge threat to their survival.

"Samira must have picked up a couple of well-trained mercenaries while she's been in Egypt! These guys are highly skilled!" Bakura shouted as he slammed his thin form into another passing haze, sending the aggressor straight into the sand where he laid dazed for a bit. Anzu watched as Ishizu and Odion passed her at full speed, clouds of the golden dust forming behind them before Odion stopped abruptly to look over at Anzu, who was finding it difficult to get herself to run again as she watched the man struggle to get back on his feet, his body sort of flopping about as his torso straightened and his vertebrate set into place, one after the other in a slow, delicate movement. Odion was still holding Atemu, his body limply lying in the tomb keeper's arms as it was still completely unconscious. The Egyptian shouted to her, forcing her to look away from the assassin and up at him.

"Hurry, Ms. Mazaki! Get to the jeep! Bakura and Kaiba have this under control!" Anzu wasn't sure if she could believe that, considering the swiftness of their foe and how low in number they were. Bakura and Kaiba were making progress, slowly but surely, but still wouldn't be enough to defeat all of them if they continued to come out of the shadows the way they were. Odion was right- if anything, Anzu and Atemu had to make it to the jeep and get to safety, even if meant losing another of her friends to the malicious witch that was Samira. Still, it had to be done, that Anzu was certain about; she pulled her eyes away from the assailant that was attempting to arise once more, and forced her legs to sprint into the deep sand and follow Odion back to the canyon that they came from.

Anzu could see Kaiba exchanging punches with one of the mind slaves, and she noted how powerful his attacks were as the servant floundered and faltered against the might of his assaults. _Looks like Kaiba found a way to expel his frustration_, Anzu thought to herself, but just as she did so one of the other aggressors blocked her path, his eyes squinting menacingly beneath the thin layer of gauze, and his poise ready to launch himself directly into her. In that instant Anzu recognized those lavender eyes that glared at her, and felt herself gasp in shock.

_M-Malik_! It could only be his purple orbs that were behind the gauze, and in that time frame he drew closer, his motions hasty as he attempted to reach out for her. She tried to go around him but he blocked her with his arm and grabbed her instead, pulling her by the hair close to him so that he could put her into a headlock and choke her to death. Anzu resisted to the best of her abilities but wasn't strong enough to get away, as she felt his arm go around her neck and strangle her relentlessly. She could feel the air and strength being drained out of her as she struggled, her nails clamping down on his arm and her teeth piercing his skin, but he could not feel the pain as she started to lose breath, and stars crossed her eyes.

"Please… Malik… let go…"she whispered, her voice barely audible as she could only hiss out the words. He could not hear her, and he made his grip even tighter, which in turn made Anzu gag as her throat became constricted and rigid. Sounds around her faded into silence, and her vision started to turn red, the only noise that she could hear consisted of her irregular breaths and her heartbeat sounding in her mind. She could not feel his grip around her neck, instead letting her thoughts drift off into nothing and finally accepting the end for what it was; there was no escaping it, this is where she died. But she couldn't accept that, not when all of her friends, and Atemu, were counting on her to live….

_This isn't the end_…, she thought, but even that took too much energy from her; she couldn't breathe, though her body urged her to so desperately, and just when she thought that she was about to pass out from the lack of oxygen, the hold Malik had over her was suddenly released and she fell into the sand, gasping for air. She glanced up, though it was hard to see with all the stars running across her vision, but she'd recognize that white hair anywhere.

"B…Bakura…" she panted, her voice hoarse from the choking she was about to die from; that second she felt her body flop uselessly onto the sand, her vision went black, and then no more.

The tomb robber was too busy to notice, as he was jabbing the attacker in the stomach so many times that the body was now like a limp flour sack in his hand. "I haven't had this much fun in a while!" he snickered, and then he gave the mind slave a sharp blow to the head, which had such force that it removed the cloth that now only partially covered the servant's head, to reveal an unconscious Malik in his grasp.

"M-Malik!" Bakura wasn't expecting it to be the young tomb keeper whom he was having such a delightful time beating the shit out of. There was blood dripping from his nose, and bruises were already marking his darkly tan face. His hair was messy and unruly, more so than it usually was, and he just appeared battered in general. Bakura dropped him onto the sand, a little from shock but more because he was now finished with him and had other mind slaves to trounce.

"Do I have to save you _ever_ time Samira attacks!" Bakura hissed, turning to look at Anzu and was surprised to see that she had passed out. There was a slight bruise forming around her neck, and some blood on her fingernails from when she had tried to get Malik's arm away from her neck, but otherwise she appeared okay. The lack of oxygen had caused her to go out cold, and now Bakura had a dilemma to deal with: what was he supposed to do with _her_?

Worst of all, was he allowed to leave Malik there in the sand, or did he have to bring him along too? Naturally the tomb robber would have been quite happy to leave both of them behind and save his own hide, but now, since he needed keep Anzu alive so that she could kill Samira, he would have to play good-guy for once. He felt the bile rise up a little in his throat at the thought, but he swallowed that down along with his King-of Thieves pride, and knew what he had to do.

He grabbed both Malik and Anzu, and, since he wasn't strong enough to carry both of them in his arms or over his shoulders, pulled them by the arms and dragged them over to the canyon entrance. This made Bakura a very vulnerable target, but he was so close to the narrow passage he decided to save that thought for later. Once he was in the passage, he would be safe from an all-out assault, but he would also be subject to becoming ambushed and trapped within the constricted space inside with no way out and hardly any room to fight off a mind slave. But he had no other choice; he had to get these two back to the jeep, or at least try to, if it came down to it.

He got a glimpse of Kaiba heading his way, and that gave him little relief; he knew that Kaiba was far to stubborn and selfish to even think of touching either of the unconscious companions, let alone drag them. Still, it was worth a shot.

"Kaiba!" he shouted, grabbing a hint of the CEO's attention as the cobalt-eyed teen knocked another pesky servant. Then another attacker came, followed by another; Kaiba was far to busy to even listen to Bakura, let alone help him. Bakura sighed, frustrated, and continued to drag the two as far as he could considering that their combined weight slowed him down by a lot. He became so focused on his task that he didn't realize that a group of mind slaves had surrounded him, and they were already closing in as the tomb robber finally took notice.

"Crap…" he hissed, letting go of the dead weights and looking around him at his aggressors. There were nine or ten of them at least, all aware of the state that the others were in, and all knew that Bakura had too many priorities now to fight them. Bakura secretly kicked himself for bringing Malik along too, because if he was just carrying Anzu then he would have been out of there by now. But he was the King of Thieves, and that title earned him a sharp, witty mind; now was the time that he had to use it in order to escape alive.

"I summon Morphing Jar!" Bakura pulled out his deck from his pocket and whipped out one of his monsters, the Morphing Jar. Quickly the Millennium Ring glowed lightly, and the air became slightly thick with Shadow Realm fog; the Morphing Jar appeared, laughing maniacally as it used its special ability to send all the mind slaves to the Duel Monsters Graveyard. Bakura could hear their screams of anguish as they disappeared into the darkness, and he smirked with delight.

"Morphing Jar, return to me!" The monster snickered, and faded away back into the card, while the Shadow Realm vanished and the canyon was now eerily quiet, since now the majority of Samira's servants had taken a one-way trip to the Shadow Realm. Both Malik and Anzu were still out cold, and Bakura would now have to deal with both of them again. He didn't think that he could drag them all the way to the jeep, since unlike his body back in ancient Egypt Ryou's vessel was weaker and frail in comparison. Nonetheless he had to do it, because he needed Anzu to slay Samira and the last thing he needed was for Samira to have another mind slave for him to worry about.

"Need a hand?" he heard a voice say, and as he felt a hand on his shoulder he turned to see Odion had returned, without Atemu in his arms. Though Bakura was now a bit more relieved, he still shoved Odion's hand off of his shoulder and glared up at him.

"Maybe, but where is that stupid Pharaoh you were lugging around a minute ago?"

"He is with Ms. Ishizu back at the jeep. We must hurry though, before any of the mind slaves attack it as well." Bakura reluctantly nodded, still despising the idea of working with these idiots, but what choice did he have? Actually he had many choices, but those wouldn't help him for more than five minutes and by then he would be done for, once Samira's plans are carried out….

"Wait, is that-" Bakura heard Odion exclaim, and he glanced over to see the Egyptian referring to Malik as he lay next to Anzu in the sand. Bakura nodded, removing more of the cloth that surrounded the teen's face to fully reveal their friend.

"Yep, Samira sent us one disgruntled Malik" Bakura snickered, but Odion was already picking up the fragile form and holding the teen in his arms protectively.

"Master Malik…" he whispered, and the blonde-haired tomb keeper did not respond; just lay there, unmoving and unconscious. Bakura had to tap Odion on the shoulder a few times to make him look away from the small body and make eye contact with him, though Bakura soon regretted it when he saw the depth of sadness that was Odion's jade eyes.

"Let's get going. Samira couldn't have sent us only these mind slaves- there have to be more coming" Bakura said, and Odion nodded absently. Seeing Anzu also on the ground, Odion silently threw her over his left shoulder, and Malik went over his right, before signaling for Bakura to follow him to the exit of the valley.

He followed the giant tomb keeper had a trudging pace through the sand, with Kaiba way ahead of them as he was already finished slamming mind slaves into the dirt and was ready to leave. Odion carried both Anzu and Malik over his broad shoulders, and for once Bakura was grateful that he was in their company, even if the bile rose in his throat when he actually thought about it. They traveled through the narrow passageway, and just when Bakura was about to scream because the exit seemed no where in sight, they came out of it into the vast desert land of Egypt, with the jeep directly in front of them and ready to roll.

Ishizu was in the jeep, beckoning them to hurry inside; Bakura could see a bit of spiky hair in the back seat, and instantly recognized the Pharaoh whom he so loathed. Kaiba had already jumped into the car as they got there, sitting on the other side of the back seat as far away from the sleeping Pharaoh as possible. Bakura snorted. _What's the matter, Kaiba? He doesn't have lice or anything_. The tomb robber wanted to roll on the ground laughing at his own sarcasm, but now was not the time, as he could hear a slight rumbling in the distance. Turning his head to the setting sun, he could see the faint silhouettes of Range Rovers flying across the sand, sending huge waves of the golden dust in storms in their wake. _Shit, more of them_! Bakura thought bitterly, and in that instant al the others seemed to notice it too and their faces became as panic-stricken as Bakura was sure his looked.

"Get in, quickly!" Ishizu shouted, with Bakura and Odion running towards the jeep for a last sprint. Odion put the two sleeping teens in the back, and that ended up filling up the whole back seat; this was a dilemma for Bakura because, with Odion sitting in the passenger seat, where was he to sit?

_Ahh, who cares_! He thought, and decided to stand up in the back seat and hold onto the front windshield of the open-top jeep. Ishizu looked over at him while she put the car into drive, and looked as though she was about to say something to him but saw the number of people in the back seat and closed her partially open mouth shut.

"Alright, hold on, everyone!" Ishizu yelled, and as she did so the jeep shot forward, shooting over a small sand dune and flying through the air like a bullet and making the stomachs of all the conscious riders lurch into their throats. Bakura held onto the edges of the windshield firmly, but had the fear of God instilled in him after that little ride over the baby hill, as they were now heading for a hill that was taller and, from what Bakura could assume, unfortunately steeper.

"If this is anything like Kaiba's plane, then you'd best be prepared for a slight shower of last night's meal on your heads!" Bakura screamed, but at that point they were already speeding up the hill, heading for any kind of hope, safety, and the promise that they would still have their lives after this fight.

---

Author's Note: _Okay, once again, sorry for not updating in like, almost a week!_

_Thank you for all of your reviews for the last chappie! Here is a list of everyone who reviewed me, by the way:_

_Elfbrat18, Ancient Dreams, Maridel, Pharaohyamifan, Estriel, ShadowxAngel, Errant of the Violet Shockers, and markeyc58._

_Thanks, all of you! See ya next update! _


	34. Ride into the night

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Whoa, was the last chappie not that interesting or good, cause I didn't get that many reviews back… only five. This scares me OO is it because I haven't brought our wondrously sexy Atemu back as of yet? If that is the case, then I shall tell you he will return in less than 5 chappies, so be prepared for the countdown!_

_Please R x R this authoress… she is beginning to die from lack of reviews… please… hurry_…_ (gag_…_gags)._

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 34: Ride into the night….**

There was movement… they were moving… very fast… but to where, and how…was she laying down… was it day… where was she?

All of these thoughts went through Anzu's mind very slowly and gradually, her dulled mentality keeping her from processing any thinking at any kind of pace. Everything was dark, and she felt sick, for some reason. Her head felt light, and the world felt like it was jerking up and around, all over the place like an estranged roller coaster ride at the amusement park that Yugi and her went to a while back. The thought about Yugi, and his smiling face, made her remember what she had desperately wanted to forget, the moments of last night resurfacing like an air bubble from the depths of the ocean… or a lake, like the one that she fell into in her dream last night, where she froze into ice and just kept falling, and sinking, deeper and deeper….

It then occurred to her that she was sleeping, and that the darkness that surrounded her was from the fact that her eyes were closed. _Oh, that's all_… she thought, relieved since the darkness could mean many things, especially with Samira and all of her dark forces on the loose.

Little by little she became conscious, emerging from her hurried nap, and once again she was aware of all that was going on around her- she could here yelling, and cursing, and the familiar sound of voices… her friends' voices, all around her. She could feel air flow swiftly past her face, and a few grains of sand came with it, scratching her skin and made her want to itch. She could hear the sound of an engine roaring, and then, out of nowhere, she felt her stomach rise up into her throat, like she had just dropped off the hill on a maniac-run amusement ride. Her body stayed weightless for several seconds before smacking back down into the cushioned surface beneath her very hard and it became bumpy again, like she was in a car, or some sort of vehicle….

_The jeep_! she thought, worried now since it felt like they were going at a dangerously high speed, but for what reason? And how did she get into the jeep in the first place? The last thing that she remembered was looking up and seeing Bakura beating Malik senseless, and her very last thoughts rested on Bakura before the world went deaf and blind and mute inside of her. Did the tomb robber carry her into the jeep?

_No, Bakura wouldn't do that_. She knew him- way too selfish to even consider that an option. But then, how did she get into the jeep?

A terrible thought suggested itself to her in a matter of second: what if she wasn't _in_ the jeep, but in an enemy car instead? What is she had been captured while she was knocked out? Or worse, what is she hadn't passed out from the choking, but instead, lacked so much oxygen that she had simply-

_I can't be dead_! She thought desperately. _I am not dead_! _I can't be_... _I just_… _I didn't_…. But what if she was, and she just didn't know it? Now her heart beat wildly, or maybe the phantom beating of her heart was, but Anzu felt herself panicking and now wasn't sure what to do. _Well, there's only one way for me to find out_…

Cautiously, the brunette let her eyelids flutter open; she sighed, relived to see the twilight sky above her and the stars gently twinkling in her vision. There was the cream-colored moon as well, sitting placidly amongst the stars, and for a second she thought she saw the "man in the moon" that everyone says you can see if you look closely at it's mystic form, but then it was gone, only leaving the battered face of the celestial body to stay floating in the navy-blue heavens.

She could also see Bakura's shadowed form standing over her, though he was faced away from her and he was holding onto the windshield of the jeep as they sped along. She wasn't sure why he was standing, unsure of what this meant by any means, until she turned her head over to the left and saw Atemu, sleeping on his side, sitting lifelessly next to her, his head tilted just so slightly that it was almost resting on her shoulder. She gasped a little, surprised to see his face so close to hers, but then relaxed and allowed her eyes to take in all of her features, from the way his bangs waved in the breeze to how his mouth curved into the kindest smile. She smiled to, if only for that reason.

She moved her head to her right, noting how Kaiba resembled a sardine in a can by the expression on his ill-tempered face; Anzu realized this was because there were four people sitting in the backseat instead of the traditional three- that explained why Bakura was unable to sit down in the jeep. Right next to her was another unconscious body, to which she was ready to scream when she saw his face. It was Malik, and though out cold he still made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end and her heart stop temporarily. He was, after all, one of Samira's mind slaves, and though at the moment he was harmless there was still a chance that he would wake, still a chance that he belonged to the princess… and that one chance could kill her if she dared to sit so close to him.

She moved her body tenderly, aware of how sore her neck felt as she rubbed it gingerly- she could feel the delicate skin that was her bruises. As she arose the wind whipped the hair out of her face, and in turn she felt her eyes sting with the presence of sand that had also been lashed into her face. Bakura had turned around at this point, and although his original attention had been at something behind them he quickly noticed her moving form and smirked his usual Bakura-is-God-and-you-know-it smirk.

"Thanks for finally waking up, lazy!" he shouted, trying to get his voice over the loud whistle of the wind as it soared past them, but it was lost in the breeze and Anzu only caught the basic thought. She smiled anyway, unwilling to let him make her mad, since she was already in enough pain. No one else seemed to take much care in the fact that she was with them now- Ishizu was looking towards the road very intently, driving carefully because she didn't have the headlights on. Anzu became puzzled by this, and was going to ask her about it but Bakura started to speak instead.

"I think we lost them Ishizu! You can turn the lights back on now!" he shouted, but Ishizu shook her head.

"No, Bakura! They could be out there in the darkness still, and we should not take the chance and end up giving them a beacon from which to follow!" Bakura was silenced, his body now standing idly, using the windshield for support as he looked up at the sky, his face bathed by the iridescent moonlight.

"You missed the chase, Anzu!" Bakura said to her, his cocked in such a way that he could glance at her with his sharp caramel eyes. "Mind slaves in cars, coming at us from the rear! We're lucky that the curator up there can drive better than she can predict duel outcomes, because otherwise I would have had to take care of them myself. I could have taken them, but I didn't feel like it. Dragging you and blondie over there tired me out a little." Anzu could see that he was referring to Malik, who still hadn't moved or made any signs of consciousness; now she knew that Bakura had indeed made an effort to save her and Malik, but why? She was still clueless as to what was his motive, and from all of their failed attempts at asking it seemed that Bakura was also unwilling to share that kind of information. What was he hiding? What lay behind those mischievous chocolate eyes that even his host couldn't know about?

There were other times to think about that, as she soon realized from the conversation that had just sparked up in the front seat. She leaned in, trying to get herself within hearing range, but that was unnecessary as the jeep slowed to a rolling stop on the top of a low sand dune, the tires gradually sinking and resting into the plush Egyptian sand. Anzu realized at that moment how truly quiet the uncivilized night could truly be, as the silence sank in like a fog and held her still until the banter stared up again.

"You must have some idea where we are, Ms. Ishizu!" Odion said to Ishizu, his face laced with concern as he turned his body to directly face her. She sighed, and gazed back at him.

"I have been driving in the dark for the last half hour, Odion. I'm afraid that, in the night, I have had no actual idea where we were headed."

"But now we will need to find some sort of shelter, will we not?" The giant tomb keeper asked. They all looked to one another in desperation- though only two of them actually lived in Egypt, the rest of the crew could widely assume that the desert was not a fun place to hang around in at the dead of night. They were in a jeep that would be barely any defense against an attack, and it would be pitch black after a while… with only the moonlight to provide any sort of lamination in the thick mist that was the night, there would be no telling what would be in store for them.

"Is there a tomb, or one of those canyons near us?" Anzu inquired, hoping that she could provide her group with possibilities so they wouldn't kill each other too soon. Ishizu and Odion looked at one another.

"Honestly" Ishizu said, "I haven't the slightest idea. There could be, but for all we know we could be in the middle of the empty desert, with no land marks or canyons to rest in. We could be miles from any sort of civilization."

"Argh!" Bakura hissed, punching air with his fist to avoid taking his rage out on Kaiba, who calmly sat staring out into the morbid darkness. "You _live_ in this goddamn country, Ishizu! You should know where we are!"

"Do you know every street and neighborhood in Domino! She countered, aggravated now that Bakura had dared to threaten her knowledge of her own homeland. He only smirked.

"Actually, I do! I don't just use Ryou as a host for killing off all you Pharaoh-lovers- a thief has to have some fun once in a while… like torturing people in Shadow Games. That always gets my blood pumping!"

The argument continued on, with both Anzu and Kaiba being the only silent ones in the bunch. Bakura continued to rant his head off while Ishizu and Odion tired- and failed- to make their point clear to him. _You will never penetrate his skull even if you used a jackhammer_, Anzu thought, her own temper becoming short as the banter kept going for longer than the Energizer Bunny ever could. At last, just as Anzu was about to yell at all of them for how her ears were beginning to hurt her, Kaiba cleared his throat in such a way that everyone was silenced.

"Thank you" he hissed, and then turned his cobalt eyes over to them. "If you geeks haven't noticed, we still have an enemy soldier in our midst, and if you continue to talk as loud as you have been then he just might wake up." Anzu's cerulean orbs looked over at the sleeping mass that was Malik, noting that he did stir slightly but remained lifeless nonetheless. She was glad that Kaiba had stopped the argument now, since if they had continued Malik may have awakened for sure, and the consequences that they could have possibly paid would not have. "Also, since you dweebs fail to have enough eyesight to see farther than your own noses, I think it would be a smart idea if I told you that there is some sort of canyon or mountain range a good distance from us, if you squint in that direction." Kaiba brought up a hand to pint to Anzu's right, and as she narrowed her eyes to get a better look she saw what he was talking about: there, very close to the horizon line, just out of range if you weren't really looking for it, was a jagged black form that could have been mountains, or canyons, or something of the sort. Whatever it was, Anzu was just glad that someone had pointed them out, instead of leaving them in the dark for hours with no idea as to where to go.

"Heh… leave it to Kaiba over there to find us a place to stay" Bakura snickered, glaring down from his standing-up position at the CEO below him. "Well, right now I really could care less, because now we have somewhere to go!" He turned away so that he faced the front of the jeep, and he launched his right arm forward, pointing to the endless desert. "Now, onward! The King of Thieves does not feel like waiting any longer!"

"Just shut up" Kaiba murmured, though Anzu was the only one who heard him because the engine had started up again, and as the jeep roared to life with the headlights lit and the tires wheeling, they headed towards the horizon, towards the mountains where comfort, rest, and perhaps some safety could possibly be assured.

---

What Kaiba had assumed turned out to be right- the jagged figures that they could see from the desert turned out to be a large canyon area, similar to what they saw back in the Valley of the Kings. In the darkness they were a dull sandy grey, looming over the tiny jeep with outsized shadows cast off by the pale moonlight, and had many features and forms all around it such as dips, peaks, and ridges.

When they got there Anzu found that they were going to suffer from one of her greatest fears- they were out in the middle of nowhere and the car was dying. She could hear it sputtering, spitting out its last breaths as they halted in front of the wall of stone, and the car was making some odd noises as it crawled over to where it was to park.

"I guess the recent activity has worn it out" Ishizu remarked as she finally turned the keys and killed the engine. "It was an old car, but not that old."

"Considering the length of time that it took to lose those mind slaves in the dust, I wouldn't blame the ol' jeep if it decided to kick the bucket" Bakura said as he hopped out of the dead car and started to saunter over to the canyon wall. "But now we're stuck here, so we had best find someplace to rest soon."

It turned out that luck smiled down upon them once again; it took a bit of searching, but to everyone's fortune Ishizu found the opening of what appeared to be a cave. It was so large that even the darkness couldn't completely fill its interior, and when Odion retrieved the flashlight from the abandoned jeep and returned to the cave mouth he revealed to them that the cave was actually some sort of grand room carved out in the wall. It was dome-shaped, and the walls were slightly smoother than the exterior, making itself out to be a man-made room instead of the natural cave that Anzu was expecting.

"Whoa…" Anzu whispered as they cautiously entered the room, her head inclined upward to take in the vast expanse of the ceiling. "How did this happen?" The flashlight peered over the floor, where they could see what looked like the remains of pottery and other things that made Anzu think of the ancient era exhibit at the museum.

"It could have been the hideout of criminals and thieves from the Pharaoh's men, judging by some of these relics left behind" Ishizu commented, only to have Bakura chuckle.

"My kind of place then!" He mocked, crossing his arms over his head as he examined the place. "Cold, dank, and as big as the Pharaoh's throne room! I like it already!"

"Are you sure that there aren't any animals living in here?" Anzu asked, the hair on her arms standing a little rigid at the thought that a pack of coyotes or some desert animal might have possibly taken residence in there and wouldn't mind a late night snack. The flashlight swung around the room several times, illuminating every dark corner until Odion was satisfied and nodded over to the frightened brunette.

"It appears to be safe, Miss Anzu."

"Good, then let's set up camp" Kaiba said, his arms crossed and his tall form standing irritably outside the cave, refusing to enter lest his rich self falls victim to accepting a nomad's den as a place to sleep and live. Anzu watched as everyone began to work around her, pulling the two bodies of her friends from the jeep a couple of meters away and bringing them into the cave. Her eyes wandered about the hollowed out mountain that she stood in, and how that, now that she looked at it, the ceiling wasn't so high, the walls not so smooth. Now that her eyes had adjusted to the darkness within, she could see that this place wasn't as intimidating and amazing as she had first assumed- just a large cave, once the home of ancient criminals.

She realized after a while that everybody was already moving and hustling about to start various activities, and she was simply standing around admiring the natural beauty and plainness of the room- soon Bakura or Kaiba would throw an insult at her to get her moving from her daze, but she wouldn't give them that chance as she made her way back outside, into the cool Egyptian night, so that she could help her friends with the task of making camp for the night.

---

"We have failed again my Queen" the adviser said into the shadows at his mistress, whom he could easily assume was sitting in the large stone throne that was centered at the edge of the royal throne room. He heard a sigh, but it didn't seem stressed or aggravated by the reports in the least- just a hint of irritation and exhaustion, but it was otherwise just a part of his queen's nature to let out a deep breath when she felt like it. It was a way to show that she was disappointed.

"What other news do you present to me, servant?" Samira asked, the glass goblet remaining idly in her hand as she waited for him to speak.

"They have revived him… the King" he whispered, fearing his queen's wrath for bringing to her such negative information. He was a mind slave, connected to her mentally, and he knew of her anger and of what could cause such violence to be ignited. There was silence, a long period of it, to which the darkness caved in around them and suffocated the air of all light; finally the Queen hissed crossly and took a greedy sip of her red drink. He waited again, hoping that this meant that her anger had been consciously quelled and that he would not be on the receiving end of a fatal blow.

"Heh… thank you, servant" she said, cooing the words to him a bit as if he had just given her a statement of victory, such as death to the wicked one she called Anzu Mazaki. She placed her glass onto the arm rest of her throne, and then stood up and strolled over to him, her black skirt so dark that even it stood out against the shadows as it flowed with her snake-like movements. He could feel her presence come close to him, and he lingered there, knowing that no matter what, he had chosen free will with a price, and now he could go back on that, since now he was cursed to remain….

But she did not hit him. Instead she fluffed his hair gently and smiled at him with blood-red lips. "Yes, that was excellent news. I believe he was not awake when spotted?"

"No, my Queen. The scouts say that he was being carried away, along with a fellow soldier who goes by the name of Malik Ishtar."

"Aah… I was wondering what happened to him, since the mind link had been severed so abruptly." She stared off into the shadows of her very large throne room, which had nothing at all to see in it except the darkness. "But he will still be of use to me, for little Anzu has yet to cleanse him of my ties to his mind. I can find them with ease now."

"Just tell us of the location, my Queen" the mind slave said, bowing his head slightly to show his inferiority to her greatness, "and we shall slaughter them all- you have my word."

She scoffed at him. "After the last few attempts, I don't think that your word could be good enough to but a blade in the girl and her friends." He wanted to protest, but silenced himself, for he knew that the free will that his Queen had offered him was not meant to be used like that; he kept his head down instead. "No, this time, now that Atemu has his empty vessel here in the world of the living, it is my time to act."

"My Queen?"

"Yes, you heard me right. It is finally time to use the weapon that Shadi so graciously helped me to make. That thing has been collecting dust now for centuries- it is about time that the magic within it be awakened once more."

"Shall I retrieve it for you, my Queen?" The mind slave looked up at her meekly, hoping to redeem himself for his past mistakes by bringing to her the weapon. She made a gesture with her hand, shooing him forward, and off he went as fast as a ninja, into the shadows and out through the palace. Samira smirked now, knowing that this was the time for action- this was the time for her to strike, before the Pharaoh could be returned to this world.

She gracefully made her way to a door that was inconspicuously hidden by her throne, and chanted some words in ancient Egyptian. Gradually the secret passageway was open for her to enter into, and it revealed a small, cylindrically-shaped room behind the wall. She strutted in with the majesty that so befit a queen of her caliber, and as she walked she headed to the canter of the room, where a giant glass orb was placed on the center of an altar made of obsidian. The glass was clear, reflecting the blackness around it, but with a wave of her hand over the cool surface of the sphere it became lit with lavender light that illuminated the room strangely. It suddenly became cloudy inside the crystal sphere, and as it turned misty images became visible in the clouds, showing her scenes of what looked like things that were occurring presently. She smiled as it showed to her a cave at the edge of a canyon somewhere in the desert, and then, with another flick of the wrist, the mist swirled about, settled, and exposed a different image; this time it showed people coming and going from inside the cave over to what appeared to be a jeep, and upon closer inspection it was Bakura, Anzu, and Odion. Now she cackled loudly.

"Yes… I knew that I would find you all." She made the orb focus in on Bakura, his usual scowl ever present on his face and his snow-white locks fluttering in the breeze. She placed a hand over the glass where is face was, and caressed it gingerly, the smile never leaving her tanned face. "Hmm hmm, oh Akefia… I think its time that my revenge reared its ugly head, now don't you think?" She chortled so joyously that her voice rang out through the entire room and vibrated through the air like high-pitched thunder.

"Time for you to remember what was once yours…."

---

Author's Note:_ Wow, so long… lots of information to take in there! Hope this keeps you interested for a while!_

_I think I'm losing readers… please don't leave me… it is very lonely here by the computer… can't breathe…I will cry… don't leave me, dammnit!_

_Donate to the "Crazy Authoress Needs Reviews" Foundation by sending in your review! You could save a no-life!_

…

_Bye!_


	35. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Oops, my bad!_

_It's the "Desperate Authoress Needs Reviews" Foundation! I shouldn't have said crazy, because, you know, that's just weird!_

_Well, on with the fic! Yes, we are drawing closer and closer to the revival. You may not believe me, since I've said that a lot, but this time it's true! Honestly, it is!_

_Well, I'll stop pleading my case now and let you read this chappie! But I do forewarn you- this one may shake the very foundation from which I have based the story upon, but please, stay calm, for it will not change the direction…just, create some chaos in paradise, that's all…heeheehee…._

_Oh, and if I don't update by Tuesday, then I would like to wish Ancient Dreams a Happy B-day! Hope this is a sufficient present to you, since I can only speak to you through cyber space and no physical gifts can manifest here (or I could stalk you- find out all your personal information and give you a gift!_..._ Naw, that would take too long) _…._ Well, happy b-day to you, Ancient Dreams! May you have very nice dreams of Atemu finally returing in my fic, because you might need to dream!_

_Oh, and thank you Estriel for pointing out my little error in the last chappie (if you really want to know where I faulted, just look at her review to me). I didn't notice that until I read the fic on myself- I was like "oh_..._ that sucks"! Yes, you were right with what I meant! I was wondering if anyone was going to pick that up! _

_And to anyone who said that they had classes and homwork, I'm sorry! I forgot that most people aren't as big no-lifes as I am._

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 35: Actions Speak Louder Than Words….**

"We need fire!" Bakura shouted into the dark cave as Odion and Anzu followed him back from the jeep. "How the hell are we gonna make a damn fire! We have nothing to work with!"

"Relax, Bakura" Anzu said, her voice soft as she tried to quell the tomb robber's fury. "There's some rotting wood in that corner of the cave, and we'll work from that. See?" She pointed down to a small spot that was nearly cloaked by the shadows of the night, and even though she could hardly see them, she knew that there was a bundle of dry sticks and straw that the thieves must have used for firewood. The white-haired teen leaned forward, his eyes narrowed to look, and once he spotted them he felt so insulted that he crossed his arms and scowled in displeasure.

"I knew that" he mumbled, and then walked off back to the outside, trudging away what was left of his dignity. Anzu could see Kaiba smirking, a small victory won for him over Bakura giving him enough amusement to turn up the corners of his mouth by just the slightest millimeter. Anzu rolled her eyes.

_Guys_, she thought, displeased by the immature feelings that she knew both of them harbored at the moment, though she knew Kaiba would never admit to such thoughts directly. Again, another example of male arrogance that made Anzu sigh heavily and continue walking into the cave, where Ishizu was taking care of her sleeping companions.

Neither had awakened since they got there, which both relieved and saddened the brunette at the same instant. She was glad that Malik was still out cold, since she had no idea whether or not he was on their side or otherwise. He looked very peaceful as he lay on the ground, his blonde hair spread out in a ring around his head like a halo. Ishizu had removed him from his black ninja-wear, revealing that he still had on his sleeveless purple shirt and black pants. His chest heaved up and down in a rhythmic fashion, but he did not stir like one would in a restless sleep. No, he just lay there, almost dead or in such a deep slumber that he could not be aroused.

The same went for Atemu, though to Anzu he appeared simpler in his motions of sleep, if only because he was soulless and probably wasn't having any dreams. His hair surrounded his face, wildly as ever and all the more intense, but Anzu found that it wasn't that same without his large purple eyes staring at her as well. She missed those eyes, the windows to his pure, strong soul from which she always gathered her courage from every time she looked at them. Not enough courage to express her true feelings to him, but enough that she could always be his cheerleader, his companion, in all his times of need.

Anzu could have stared at him longer if not for Ishizu sudden movements as she stood up from the knelt-down position she was in before. The raven-haired tomb keeper had made it her responsibility to look after Malik and Atemu, and Anzu assumed that it was because she still felt guilt for Malik's enslavement. Anzu could understand her pain, though she didn't directly have those feelings herself. She knew that, one way or another, she was responsible for Yugi's capture, along with Joey and Tristan, but why she wasn't sure of as of yet. There was still time to figure all of that… she hoped.

"Anzu, could you look after these two for a bit?" The brunette looked up to see Ishizu looking over to her, her eyes showing the tiredness in them and her voice a bit meeker than usual. "I'm going to help Odion and the others get dinner prepared."

"Um, s-sure" Anzu replied, and as Ishizu was walking away Anzu realized what I the curator just said. "Ishizu? What dinner?"

"Oh, I have some spare junk food in the trunk of my jeep. Provisions for long trips in tombs, actually, but they will do just fine for tonight", Ishizu turned around and smiled at the young teen, "do you think not?"

"Oh, yeah! That'll be great, Ishizu!" Anzu couldn't wait now that food had been promised- she didn't know when the last time she had meal was, but she was sure glad that she would get something tonight. Her stomach roared in anticipation. "I'm so glad that you have that food- otherwise we would starve out here."

"Yes, I am thankful for that too" Ishizu said quietly, before turning around and heading back towards the cave entrance. Anzu plopped herself right beside her Atemu, watching him breathe and admiring him as he did so. She could hear the banter occurring behind her by the cave door, but she didn't pay much mind as she just did as she had been told to do: watch.

Meanwhile, the progress of getting a fire started proved to be a task that all three of the males decided to attempt. Odion, Kaiba, and Bakura all surrounded the bundle of branches, looking at them, contemplating what to do. Thoughtfully Odion took one of the twigs and a handful of straw, and began to try his hand at making the fire just as he would have done in the past. It wasn't working, however, and try as he might Odion simply could not create a spark from the twig and straw. Kaiba and Bakura looked on in annoyance, the cool, sharp breeze of the desert night biting into them as they imagined how warm the fire would feel if Odion could just get it started.

Finally, after what felt like hours of observing Odion frustrate himself over twisting the twig into the straw several times over Bakura temper snapped and he grabbed the branch from the tomb keeper's hand.

"You call _that_ making fire!" Bakura shouted menacingly, though now Odion was more angered than frightened by the threatening glare that the King of Thieves was giving him. "I, Bakura, shall show all of you how to make a fire as grand as my title! Watch, and learn something!"

"Like how to be a first-class idiot" Kaiba murmured, and Bakura gave him a lethal look.

"When I light this fire I will stick your oversized head in it, Kaiba" he whispered, though Kaiba had already lost interest in listening to Bakura as he marched off to see what Ishizu was doing. Bakura took two twigs from the pile, and then, in a dramatic moment of silence, started rubbing them all together furiously, mumbling curses into the sticks as they hissed against one another.

"Light you mother f-"

"Bakura, there will be no need for that!" Ishizu said as she strutted over to the pile of wood with a box of matches in her hand. She removed one and with a single flick of her wrist struck the match against the box and threw the match into the bundle. They lit quickly, and after a second or two a good fire was glowing and warming the cool air around them. "There, that's all better now."

"Hmph… I could've done that" Bakura hissed.

"Right" Kaiba said as he reappeared from the jeep next to Ishizu. "The most you could have accomplished would have been a pair of bleeding hands and a bunch of sawdust."

"Shut up, you rich bastard!" Bakura shouted, but Ishizu put up a hand to silence him.

"Stop it you two- the fighting is done for the night so behave yourselves. Now, I do have some food in my jeep that will be distributed for dinner-"

"That will be all mine because Kaiba is a rich bastard who doesn't deserve any" Bakura said, smirking at Kaiba as he spoke. "Of course, if he does get any food, I will simply steal it from him, since I am the King of Thieves." Kaiba grunted, putting his hand up to his head to ease the pain of the migraine he was getting from Bakura.

"Okay, that's it" Kaiba announced, then took something out of his pocket and opened it up. "I'm not staying any longer with you geeks. I'm leaving." The item that he had pulled out turned out to be cell phone, and Kaiba pressed speed dial on it to whoever he was calling at the moment.

"Kaiba, I wouldn't do that-"

"Forget you, Ishizu" Kaiba snarled, putting the phone to his ear. There was a moment of silence, and then Kaiba put the phone back into his pocket and walked off away from the group.

"What happened, Kaiba?" the female tomb keeper asked.

"…. There's no signal out here." Bakura began to cackle loudly as Kaiba strutted over to a sand dune from which he stood on for a while as he was forced to listen to Bakura blabber on and on about how Kaiba was officially screwed.

---

Anzu sat by the cave entrance, warming herself by the fire after the small meal of trail mix, potato chips, and spam had been devoured. There was also a fire inside the cave as well, since Ishizu had found more branches and what appeared to be a dying oasis near by that provided extra wood, but Anzu wanted to look at the stars for a while and besides, after all the mess that occurred earlier she didn't want to end up in the middle of another argument between Bakura and anyone else- she had seen enough of this for one night.

Bakura must have felt that way too, because once everyone had settled down to eat the tomb robber switched over to Ryou, who was perplexed by his surroundings and all the stress that had been put on his body once more, but settled in nicely with everyone else as they dined on what they had. Eating by firelight was a nice change of pace for Anzu, even if it was because of the latest circumstances; the brunette would have to make due with what she had if she didn't want to crumble under the pressure of saving the world.

The meal had gone without a hitch, though Kaiba gave Ryou glares every once and a while. Anzu knew that Kaiba didn't think that Bakura and Ryou were two different entities, so it was obvious that any hatred he felt for Bakura he was now showering all over the innocent white-haired teen. But Ryou didn't seem to notice, which was a good thing- the last think he needed was to know that someone was willing to stab you in your sleep.

The matter of where they all slept was not as promising as the pleasant meal they had previously shared; Ishizu and Odion thought it would be best if all of them, excluding Anzu, keep watch outside in case Samira or her mind slaves made an unexpected appearance that night. Everyone was willing, all except Kaiba; he didn't want to stay up, since he was Kaiba and they were all aware that the CEO of KaibaCorp. wasn't exactly all sugary sweet at the moment and would not desire to do anything for them at the moment even if they fed him. However, Kaiba did say that he would be sleeping in the jeep, since the ground wasn't his style and his options were limited even at that. Anzu knew that Bakura would be pleased with this if he came out- he would be the first to watch, since then he would have a chance to hang by the jeep and sabotage any chance Kaiba had of getting an hour's worth of rest.

Anzu sighed. _This is going to be a very long night_ she thought as she watched the stars twinkle against the navy canvas that was the sky. At the present moment, Ishizu and Odion were trying to figure out the mystery of the passage Anzu read back at Atemu's temple, preferring to remain by the firelight inside the cave that was placed near Atemu and Malik so that they would not get cold. Kaiba was already in the jeep, probably out cold right now in restless dreaming about strangling Bakura mercilessly, and Ryou was somewhere about. Anzu was alone by the fire, and she was enjoying the quiet, and how peaceful it felt to finally be away from all the action and rancor….

_Hey, isn't that_-, but as soon as Anzu thought it she realized that she had assumed correctly: there was Ryou standing out on one of the taller sand dunes in the desert. _How did he get out of the cave_?

Anzu had no real time to think about that, since it looked like Ryou was walking away from them, down the sand dune and towards the desert. Quickly Anzu rose to her feet and decided to follow him, wondering why he would be heading out into the desert at this time of night. She trudged up the sand dunes, careful not to fall given that her boots restrained her movement and gave her a greater chance of falling flat on her face with a mouthful of sand to swallow along with it. She finally caught up to him, but he didn't seem to notice her though as she neared him at full speed descending down the large dune that he was once standing on.

"Ryou!" She shouted, but he didn't turn around- he did stop, but didn't turn around to look at her. "Ryou? Why are you out here?" This time he did move his body to face her, and with one look at those sharp brown eyes and wild snow-white hair she knew that she was mistaken.

"B-Bakura?"

"Hmph! A thief can't get a moment to himself now, can he?" Instead of yelling at her or acting snotty- like he should have- Bakura turned away from her again and sat down on the sand. Though a bit dumbstruck to see Bakura and, stranger yet, to see him not flip out when he didn't have his way, Anzu followed suit and sat next to him in the sand, looking up at the sky the same way that he was. She saw all the different stars and constellations flash across her cerulean eyes, and they actually looked a lot brighter and far more beautiful away from the campfire.

"Bakura", Anzu asked tenderly, hoping not to ignite his arrogance in this nice moment of silence, "why are you out here? Why did you leave?" He was quiet for a moment, still staring up at the moon and night sky like that was all there was to do. Anzu was going to ask him again but he finally hissed out a reply, though it was a bit softer and less hoarse than he would normally answer.

"I can't think around any of you- you're so pathetically nice that it ruins any of my torturing fantasies." Anzu was stunned silent for a second, and Bakura cackled. "I'm joking with you- though I do have torturing fantasies that involve small animals don't worry about that. No, I came out here because…well, I wanted the time alone. Even in my soul room I don't exactly feel like I'm free to think as I wish- Ryou's an eavesdropper if there ever was one."

"But he told me that you could seal off your thoughts from him."

"I can, but that puts on too much strain for me to bother with."

"But how does coming out here stop Ryou from hearing your thoughts-"

"It doesn't but so what! Stop asking me all these damn questions!" Anzu shut her mouth tightly, and turned her gaze back up to the sky just as Bakura did. They stared at the sky for another while longer, and after that got boring Anzu found the courage to speak again.

"Bakura?" he glanced over at her, his chocolate eyes just barely moving to look at her.

"What?"

"I still don't understand why you're helping me get away from Samira. I mean, what's in it for you? You're Bakura, the King of Thieves, so what do you care if I get stabbed a few times by an evil princess bent on destroying all life as we know it? What are you fighting for?" Again, silence, for the longest time that Anzu thought she could possibly endure silence. She could hear the wind whip the sand from the dunes and shift it around, she could hear some animal crying into the night air… but no Bakura. He was quiet, refusing to answer, and when he finally did, it didn't prove very helpful.

"Heh… are you obsessed with knowing what makes me tick?" He smiled, the corners of his mouth curving ever so mischievously but still in such a humble manner. "I think it's the same reason why I still want the Pharaoh to suffer at my hands- just because. I don't like Samira, haven't for the longest time… but that is just a simple reason that I have decided is valid enough to be used for this fight. It's like me fighting for Kul Elna- I just do it now because it is my duty to those who died, to those who were used to forge the Millennium Items for that wretched Pharaoh and his stupid priests-"

"What?" Anzu was never really told the whole story about Bakura and his past, or why he wanted to kill the Pharaoh and the priests and burn Egypt to the ground. She had gotten a vague idea about why he did the heinous things that he did five millennia ago, but the details had remained sketchy since at that time her only main concern was finding Atemu and finding out his true name. Now she was interested, because it may hold clues to the rationale he was using to assist her.

"Oh, you don't know, do you?" Bakura licked his lips. "Probably don't care either- Pharaoh-obsessed weirdos usually don't."

"No, that's not it Bakura. I just, never thought-"

"Yeah, whatever. It's not as if it was anything of importance to begin with. Excellent motivation though, when it came to wanting my revenge." He bit his lip, though he still refused to look at her as he spoke. "They didn't deserve to die the way they did. Some of them did, those few with dark souls, but my family, my friends- anyone I knew for the small time that I had existed were burned into that gold, their screams always in my ears ever since that night."

"Bakura…."

"I was the only one who escaped the Pharaoh's soldiers, but the fate I suffered was far worse than death could ever be. I watched them, you know." Finally he glanced over in her direction, but only to see what kind of reaction he had just mustered. He grinned when he saw that she was shifting uneasily where she sat. He stood up from the dune, still looking at the sky. "Watched them all die- watched as they were engulfed in flames, as they were melted and burned away into the gold trinkets that I so longed for later in my life. I can still hear the screaming, if I listen close enough- screaming, on and on, all cursing the Pharaoh and wanting their revenge. I was traumatized for a while, but in ancient Egypt you don't get special treatment if you lost your village- you have to eat, you have to survive. And I did. I became tough and witty, so that I could steal the gold from the tombs around me for the sake of my life. And so that I could one day avenge them all, all of my family and friends, who didn't have to die but did because that bastard the Pharaoh wanted some pretty jewelry! All of them, died for that!" He was shouting now, his voice bitter and full of animosity as his eyes grew wide and he yelled towards the sky. "And I will one day! The Pharaoh will one day pay for the deaths of my village, for the destruction of Kul Elna, of my LIFE!"

Anzu was stunned into silence, her eyes teary as she watched the pent-up anger rise from Bakura like a volcano exploding before her. He was entrenched in his fury, in his rage, so much so that Anzu could feel his pain seep into her heart like millions of little bullets hitting her one by one. She didn't know what to say, what to feel- she felt pity for Bakura, for the pain that he had suffered so long ago at such a tender age, but she reminded herself that this was **Bakura**, King of Thieves, mass murderer of many people and reason why the darkness nearly destroyed Egypt. She knew that she shouldn't feel pity for him and yet… she still did. Bakura had stopped shouting now, and as he stared up at the sky he calmed down a little, his eyes going back to their normal narrowness and he flopped back down into the sand, smiling down at the ground.

"Heh… but after a while I started to fight for the darkness, for my own selfish desires… but what else can one fight for when there is little left in his life? I wanted power, I wanted strength- enough of it to tear the Pharaoh and his whole goddamn world to shreds. I didn't fight for my village anymore. I became so enamored with destroying the Pharaoh that it turned into my only reason to live, my only motive to strive further and reach farther- but I won't forget their voices, I won't forget my people… not until I have my revenge on the Pharaoh-"

"Bakura…stop." Anzu's voice was soft and meek, but for some reason the tomb robber heard it, and he was silenced. He looked over at her with slight surprise but more curiosity. Anzu had her head down, her face covered by her hair, and she was shaking a little at the shoulders, her body making a huffing noise like she was-

_Crying_? Bakura thought peculiarly, watching the brunette stay quiet for a moment or so before speaking again. "Bakura, you don't have to fight anymore. So much time has past, and there is nothing that you can do. It's over." She brought her head up, and revealed that she had stains from tears lightly lining her face. "I'm sorry, Bakura- for all that you've been through. You've lost your family, your friends… anyone who meant something to you was killed right before your eyes. I feel so lucky… so lucky to have my friends, to have my family, to have someone in the world to smile at me the way you did not. I wish I could have helped you… it all just seems so wrong. You shouldn't have suffered the way you did… I'm sorry, Bakura."

The tomb robber was unusually silent, and now he bent his own head down in shock. He didn't think that she would really care, or even care that much about his past; even he didn't feel the way she did, or at least not since-

"_Time for you to remember what was once yours, Akefia_" a dark, bitter voice rang inside his head, and instantly he recognized the owner of the telepathic words.

_Samira_! he thought, but as soon as he did the pain gripped him, a stark, stabbing jolt to his heart that made him clutch his chest and gasp in shock. He knew what she was doing to him, and though he tried to resist it she had already opened the flood gates, already opened his heart- there was no escaping the torrent that was about to hit him. He could hear her cackling at his pain, and then that faded into nothing as he was hit by another wave of ache. He winced.

Anzu had seen him arch over in pain, and was at first unsure of what had happened. She was scared, worried that her words had hurt him somehow. She didn't know what the cause of this reaction was, but as Bakura winced she knew that it was serious and he needed help fast.

"Bakura! Bakura, what's wrong!" she shouted, but he didn't answer as the white-haired teen grinded his teeth to avoid the stinging feelings overwhelming him, engulfing him. So many feelings… he couldn't keep control over them much longer… Samira had released them and now, and now….

"Bakura! Answer me!" Anzu shouted as she got up and went closer to him, putting her hands on his shoulders as she tried to get him to look at her. She wanted to now what ailed him, what was causing the King of Thieves to be in such misery. He was gripping his head tightly, groaning and wincing as his head began to throb, his heart began to overload….

"An…zu…" he hissed, straining his head to look upward, to look at her. His body shook as he tried to command it. "Go…away…."

"Bakura! What is it!" She could see his eyes now, slightly hidden under the hood that was his hair. She could see him squinting in agony, his brown eyes glaring at her… and there was a hint of amethyst in his eyes, just the lightest glow of purple lining the pupil, overtaking the eyes… it made him look like his old self, Akefia.

"Anzu… don't…."

"Bakura, I'll get you some help! Just wait- I'll go get Ishizu!" Anzu let go of Bakura, and was about to head towards the cave entrance when she realized that she couldn't- Bakura had stopped holding his head and was now grasping her shoulders, pulling her closer to him but still straining to command his head to lift. She gasped, shocked that he was holding her like this. "B-Bakura?"

"Anzu…" he whispered, showing that he was having a hard time speaking, the words barely escaping his lips, "please… forgive me."

And then he kissed her.

It was intense and deep and unlike anything Anzu had ever felt before; she wanted to gasp out of shock but found that Bakura was kissing her so deeply that she could not. His eyes were closed, and his breathing halted- it seemed like he was fully enveloped in the kiss, while Anzu was trying her best to get out of his grip.

_This isn't happening! This isn't happening! _She told herself this over and over but it didn't make it seem any less real. Bakura was refusing to let go, continuing the kiss with such power and wanting that Anzu feared the reason why he was doing this. Why would he kiss her, and why now? Was it something she said, something she did? Did the tomb robber like her? The whole thought process made her want to scream, as it frightened her to know this even more than Samira scared her. It was all so confusing, so jumbled up and not making sense- the brunette wanted Bakura to let go, to end the kiss so that she could finally hear the truth, and so that her heart would stop pounding like a base drum in her chest.

Finally he did, separating himself from her slowly and methodically, to which Anzu immediately released herself from his grasp and inhaled, as she forgot to breathe while the kiss was taking place. Bakura just stood there for a while, as if dazed by the sudden event, and Anzu watched the white-haired teen as the amethyst gradually left his chocolate eyes, and they came back into focus. It was like he was waking up from something, and as he did so his eyes grew wide with shock and he slowly placed a hand to his lips as he looked at Anzu fearfully. He backed up from her, his body moving away from her as though he was afraid, but that didn't last long as the tomb robber regained his composure quickly. He reached down and grasped his Millennium Ring, which glowed faintly in the dark night. Soon the light became a strong illumination, blinding Anzu with its brilliance; she wanted to cover her eyes but couldn't as she was engulfed by the light of the Ring, and just before she faded into the light and from consciousness, she heard Bakura speak to her in the distance:

"What you don't remember cannot no longer hurt you."

---

Author's Note: _If you are about to throw your fist into the computer screen please don't! I beg of you, DON'T DO IT!_

_This is still an Atemu x Anzu fanfiction, so don't think that I have changed things. This is just… there to give you the tingles. It does have a purpose, but it won't change anything involving relationships, I promise! This is NOT a triangle! I repeat: this is NOT a triangle!_

_Sorry I couldn't finish the whole thing- it's already pretty long and I figured that it would be way too long to finish as one chapter so you'll just have to wait to see what happens. And I repeat again: this is NOT a triangle!_

_Hope this chapter made your jaw drop! Can't wait to give you the next you the next chappie so you can see what occurs!_


	36. Arrows Shot True

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Wow, that last entry must have really been a surprise for everybody, eh? Ha, glad I made some of you go wide-eyed over there- that was the main purpose._

_This will be very short since I really don't have much to say as of today… wow that's a rarity now isn't it… anyway just read this chappie! _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 36: Arrows Shot True….**

"_What you don't remember can no longer hurt you_."

Anzu awoke with a start; she opened her eyes and kept them open for a long period of time before finally allowing herself to close them tight for a second. She was denying it all, denying what she had seen… but had she really seen it?

Anzu realized that she was lying down on the plush sand like a bed, her body turned on its side so that her back was facing something that warmed her back. She was staring out into the dark desert landscape, and since what she could see was the jeep in the far distance she could assume that she was in front of the cave entrance, sleeping beside the fire. She slowly lifted herself up so that she now sat on the sand, and she gently turned her head to see the cozy little fire still burning bright- and Bakura was sitting next to it.

_What! Bakura! _ Anzu blushed and was about to gasp when she discovered upon closer inspection that it was really Ryou who sat near the fire, not Bakura. The brunette sighed, but then remembered why she had blushed so madly. She had just been in the desert, with Bakura, where he became pained by something and then… kissed her. Just kissed her, as if that was something to be expected, and natural. Her cerulean eyes went wide as she remembered how he had done it, how he had simply placed his lips on hers… she desired to scream over and over again as the images played like a broken tape recorder in her head.

_No! This can't be real! _she thought desperately as her mind reeled in panic. She liked Atemu, that was who she had a crush on all this time… and now Bakura had intercepted her life. Why had he done such a thing? Why did he kiss her? Did Bakura even love, even care? Anzu had always considered Bakura to be a heartless fiend who felt nothing and people were only pawns in his plan to torture the Pharaoh and extract his revenge. But how could she be so sure of that now, after the kiss she had just endured?

_But wait, why_…? Anzu became conscious of the fact, if she had been with Bakura, how did she end up back by the cave entrance, and asleep too? This was the exact same spot where she had been sitting just before she had seen Ryou, or rather Bakura, walk out into the desert- had she actually fallen asleep and dreamt the whole thing? Had the kiss not really happen, instead being a figment of Anzu's thoughts that had become a dream?

Anzu shook her head forcefully. No, she could never have dreamt _that_, that image that now haunted her thoughts and made havoc on her senses. If she had imagined the whole thing, then that would mean that these were her thoughts, and her ideas, and she really wanted Bakura to kiss her-

_NO!_ She refused to accept that idea; she liked the Pharaoh, she loved Atemu, not Bakura… never the thief that had always tried to kill Yugi and the rest of the gang, trying to get his greedy hands upon the Millennium Puzzle so that he could one day release Zorc the Dark One. But then why was she just waking from sleep, from the same spot from which she was watching the stars just a little earlier? _It had to have been a dream… but it was too real to be a dream…then why was I sleeping just a second ago?_ Anzu felt like all her emotions were now swirling about in a figurative washing machine, tossing and turning to the point that she wanted to cry and pull her hair out at the same time. She was so confused, so disembodied from her heart and soul that everything felt too surreal and vague now, like a faded form of her former self. She wanted to know what the truth was, where it was, and if it meant that Bakura actually liked her, or if it was she who was really in love-

"Anzu, are you feeling well?" The brunette's eyes shot up, scared at the mention of her name. She could see Ryou looking over at, his brown eyes filled with genuine worry and caring as he stood up and sat beside her. Anzu felt her heart thump harder now, remembering how Bakura had sat next to her in just the same way, just before the moment that he winced in pain… she decided not to think of that as the white-haired teen placed a hand to her forehead and held it there for several moments. "You don't seem to have a fever, but you look quite flushed and you're acting a bit fidgety…."

"Ryou, what have you been doing lately?" The question caught Ryou by surprise, but he smiled as his chocolate orbs wandered as Anzu assumed he was trying to collect his thoughts.

"Well, I was in the cave a small while ago, just drifting about. Quite boring, to tell you the truth- I kind of fazed out from the boredom for a bit, because my memory isn't all that good after that. You were sitting by the fire before that time, and the next thing I remember, you were curled up fast asleep. You must have been really worn out to get knocked out so quickly." He smiled his warm, gentle smile that usually graced his pale face every other time Anzu saw him. "Anyway I just decided to sit over here by the fire- to look at the stars since you can't really see them as good over in Japan- and then you woke up. That's about it, I think."

Now Anzu could be sure that it was a dream- it didn't seem that Bakura had possessed Ryou in any of that time. She could feel the tears well up in her eyes, but they were too small to fall from there and she didn't have the strength to cry now. She was more shocked and appalled at her own desires, her own thoughts and feelings, these ones that told her that she liked Bakura now, because the dream showed her as much. One dream was all it took, and now Anzu couldn't trust her own heart to tell her who she loved. Bakura, the snow-haired teen who had made Ryou's life and on some occasions her own a living hell, was now on her mind to the point that Anzu wanted to just die, since now she had no idea what thoughts were her own, and what feelings were truly hers….

"Anzu, you might need to sleep more. You look terribly ill" Ryou said to Anzu, and as he did so Anzu suddenly felt a wave of tiredness swept over her, and she realized that she did need to get more rest- all the previous events of the day had taken a toll on her mind and body. She had food now, and shelter as well, so tonight she could sleep easy with the knowledge that she had survived another day.

"Yeah… you might be right Ryou…" Anzu whispered, and then she could see her vision grow fuzzy as she drifted out of consciousness again, her eyes closing gradually so that the last thing she saw was the starry night sky above her head….

Ryou watched her go from alert to out cold in less than a few minutes, absent-minded to all that was around him as he quietly admired the glorious night and the silence that enveloped his thoughts. Little did he realize there was a light glow of gold coming from his chest, from the Millennium Ring, and before he could grasp what had happened Bakura had taken over again, the snow-white hair of the teen becoming wilder, and his eyes becoming instantly narrow and sharp like eyes. Though this night, they were a bit softer than before, and showing all of the feelings that he had instead of his cold-hearted persona.

He glanced over at the sleeping form next to him, and when he saw that it was Anzu he hissed to himself and looked away quickly. He refused to look at her, not wanting to remember what had just occurred back out by the dunes, in the dark, shadowed desert… he had made Anzu forget what she had seen, making her think it to all be a dream, but Bakura knew of how real the event truly was, and the danger that he now faced because of it. He looked up to the stars, and he glared at them as he saw Samira's image on the navy-blue canvas.

_Damn you, Samira_... _damn you to hell_!

---

The princess continued to gaze at her crystal orb as the scene that presently held her focus was the kiss between Bakura and Anzu. She cackled menacingly at the displeasure and hurt that she could feel in Bakura's heart, something that she knew he hadn't felt himself for more than five millennia.

"Heh heh, poor Akefia, do you now remember that you have a soul? You wouldn't though, especially not since that day-"

"My Queen? Are you here?" Samira turned in a half circle to see her loyal servant approaching from her throne room, entering cautiously through the small passage way that marked the start of her dark secret lair. He moved slowly, looking about the cylindrical space in both awe and terror as he drew closer to his mistress, and in his hands he held the weapon that she had regarded so highly of.

"Aah, my servant… you have brought me the weapon, I presume?"

"Indeed my Queen- is this what you speak of?" He placed before the Egyptian princess what he carried- a bow and a case full of arrows, to which he showed to her in the most delicate matter from which he could muster since this was an item of mass importance to his mistress's operations. The bow was about three feet or so in height, and was made from a strong wood of some sort, but the servant hadn't the slightest clue as to the maker or the source from which it had been obtained. It had been leafed in gold, and decorating its surface were several lines of hieroglyphs that were painted on with the most precise perfection. The string that was also a part of the bow was like the hair of a unicorn, as it shone like a needle of silver in the faint purple light of the mystic orb; it was indeed tightly wounded around the bow, and was strong enough to propel the arrow it launched with accuracy beyond any mortal man's ability.

The arrows that accompanied the beautiful bow had to be of the same exquisite features, and so they were as the servant observed. Each one was topped with a sharp spearhead made of a shiny metal that the servant could not identify, but nonetheless all of the arrowheads had been sharpened so that their tips could pierce the sharpest metal, leaving flesh to be an easy surface to puncture and tear apart. The wooden part was exactly like that of the bow, leafed in gold and covered in hieroglyphs, and the ends had feathers that were white- almost silver- and shone like stars in the amethyst light.

The whole display was like a work of art, too beautiful for blood to be shed through using it. Samira tenderly held the weapon in her tan-skinned hands, her crimson eyes looking over it maliciously as the servant felt his Queen's emotions become excited and fired with the desire for destruction. She licked her lips, and then turned away from her slave as she brought the bow and arrows close to the crystal orb, the lavender light of it paling the gold leafing and making the weapon appear stark and dismal.

"Uh, my Queen?" the servant asked meekly.

"Yes?"

"I hate to bother you at this time, but I am curious- what is the overall importance of this bow and the arrows? They seem to be plain objects with no special meaning- what is it that makes it so essential to your take-over?" The servant was afraid that he might have stepped out of his place when he questioned his mistress, because he could see her glare at him with dark red eyes and he could also sense her wrath swarm in the air like an apprehensive mist fluttering through his soul. He was about to ask for her absolute forgiveness for his unnecessary inquisition of her motives, when he noticed that the corner of her lips curled upward and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Hm, I see that free-will makes my slaves a bit antsy, doesn't it?" She moved like water as she wheeled around to look at him, her stance brimming with superiority over her quivering slave, his eyes wide as he watched her shadow over him. "Well, since I am in such a joyous mood, I will tell you of the meaning behind these normal tools of war." She grasped them in her hands, displaying them to him as she spoke. "They are quite ordinary, as you can plainly see. However, once I chant the spell that I 'extracted' from Shadi's mind over these objects they will have abilities that will extent farther than even the gods could hope to achieve!"

"And what is that, my Queen?" She paused as she took a moment to think about how to respond to her slave's question.

"To put it simply for you, my trusted servant, the arrows will be enchanted so that, when launched by the charmed bow, will not shoot forth a regular arrow. Instead, the arrow will become an energy, an enchantment of its own. They have an affect upon the soul, you see, for the energy- once shot into a body- freezes the heart and all emotions within it, making it impossible to live. The person will die once the magic as seeped through their system." She admired the intricate designs on the wooden bow, and fingered its smooth surface. "When a soulless body is hit with this magic, the vessel will become too cold and heartless to contain a soul, thus leaving the body to remain in a coma until it eventually dies from lack of nutrition and such.

"This is the weapon" she whispered, "that I shall use to keep Atemu in limbo- _forever_. I have to enchant it soon though, before little Anzu figures out how to return his spirit to this world, but once I do there will be on one to ruin any of my plans!"

"But, my Queen, what are the effects of this weapon on a living person? Does it affect them as well?" the servant questioned, and Samira simply smirked.

"It does, but that is not its purpose this time around. For now, I must be left alone to make this bow and these arrows into the death of the young Pharaoh. Leave me now, for this is something that, if done before your eyes, would leave you blinder than a bat in sunlight. Go, now!" The evil princess gestured sharply to the entrance, and the slave disappeared into the shadows before she had need to finish her sentence. The room was silent again, and as the quiet became forceful upon her ears Samira turned around to face the crystal sphere, which now had a twisting mass of colored smoke crammed inside of it, swirling about like a coiled snake ready to strike. She grinned as she held the bow and arrows in her hands, and as she showed them to the orb it glowed of amethyst so much so that the room became engulfed in its brilliance, and the princess chortled evilly.

"And now the time has come, for darkness to fill this dreaded world once more!"

---

Anzu awoke in the morning, the sunlight warming her cool face and telling her that it was time to arise from slumber. She yawned as she stretched her arms to the sky, and she caught a glimpse of her surroundings just before she closed her eyes- the sand a pale gold, the sky a cobalt blue with streaks of snow-white clouds, and all appeared peaceful and just for a dawn in Egypt. The breeze was gentle and cool as it graced her gingerly and all was quiet save the sounds of the morning, and Anzu was satisfied as she glanced around with sleepy eyes….

But then she remembered the haunting memory of the previous night, of the kiss and the feelings and the despair… her heart ached several times over as she recalled it, and as she did so she realized that she felt an uneasiness inside her, like something was wrong with her….

And then it occurred to her the predicament.

She had not done something that she had grown so used to, and had been expected each and every night she slept….

She had not dreamt of Atemu last night.

---

Author's Note: _Now we are drawing closer… don't let the Bakura and Anzu drama fool ya… and thanks for reviewing me, readers! You are wonderful, you know that? Maybe I haven't said that enough… yes you guys are awesome!_

_See ya next update! _


	37. Before the Plunge

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Hey, this chappie's actually kinda small for once! Surprise, since the last few chapters have been like a run-on sentence._

_Oh well, stop listening to me and start reading!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 37: Before the Plunge….**

The day wore on with hardly a bit of life to make it interesting; the sun gradually moved across the crystal blue sky, sweeping light over the morning scene that was the Egyptian dawn. Clouds, like puffy wisps of cotton, floated aimlessly in the same direction, herds of them traveling to some unknown destination that was too far away for any human eye to see, unaware of the apocalypse that was going to occur, sooner than anyone would ever think….

The cave was quiet for the majority of the morning as the group was just beginning to awaken to the pristine day. No one really spoke to each other, as they had their own thoughts and for the most part they were all quite tired from the latest events. Ishizu brought forth more food from the trunk of the jeep for the crew to devour, but everyone merely nibbled at the potato chips and spam as the few hours of dawn passed without incident.

Odion and Ishizu kept together as they mumbled to each other more possibilities for the meaning of the ancient riddle that Anzu had once spoke. They remained close to the Pharaoh's sleeping form, and as was expected he had not made any sort of movement throughout the night due to the fact that he was without a soul. Malik had also stayed frozen in his position, which did disturb both of the Egyptians severely. Had he been normal, he may have tossed or turned a couple of times, and perhaps even awaken by this time. But no, Malik was still out cold, his body inhaling and exhaling rhythmically to such a point that he was almost a robot, almost too perfect to be of his own thoughts by now….

Kaiba was simply Kaiba, as this was how he would act despite the strange occurrences that had involved him lately. He was his usual self: grouchy, irritable, and made it obvious that he was avoiding them at all cost. He lingered at the edges of the cave in the far back, where Ishizu and Odion were but he chose to stay away from them as far as he could possibly be. He was tempered and aggravated, like he had gotten hardly a wink of sleep that night, and he was also antsy and jumped as soon as anyone made mention of him; he quickly covered that up though, with his cool attitude and refusal to directly answer any of their questions or inquires.

Surprisingly enough, Ryou was the one in control that morning, as everyone took notice in his warm smile and kind motions while they dined on their plain breakfast. He was cheerful, though a bit absent-minded as he had a tendency to stare at nothing for long periods of time and would only snap out of it once someone grabbed his attention again. He said that he was simply tired, but some of the others had their suspicions that Bakura might have been talking to him or otherwise.

The most troubling person in the bunch turned out to be Anzu. All of them became aware of the fact that she was extremely out-of-it and not responding to any of them at all. She was quiet and fazed out on quiet a few occasions, to which Ishizu had to call her name a couple of times in order to bring her back to planet Earth. They could see the blankness in her cerulean gaze, and the worry that was held behind them; no one thought much of it, thinking that either the pressure had gotten to her or she was remembering the past too often. Little did they realize what was going through her mind, over and over again as though meant to torture her for all eternity.

After breakfast Ishizu and Odion called for all of them to gather near Atemu and Malik, which was a surprise in that it might have meant that they had actually come across something. However, the truth seemed a bit more dismal than that as the two tomb keepers sat down on some boulders that were in the cave near the sleeping bodies and looked down depressingly.

"Well, spit it out already. We haven't got all day" Kaiba hissed at them, as he refused to sit on the dirt floor, instead preferring to stand and cross his arms in annoyance. "What did you call us over here for? A tea party?"

"Kaiba, this is no time to make sarcastic jokes" Ishizu whispered.

"Yeah, that's it _exactly_."

"Moving on" Ishizu said to all of them, "this isn't really good news. Both Odion and I have been trying to make sense out of the passage that Anzu read back at the Pharaoh's tomb, and yet no matter what lead we try nothing appears to be working. There doesn't seem to be much hope in this endeavor."

"Now Ishizu, we can't say" Ryou responded. "There's hope for anything- I'm sure the two of you can think of something! I'm positive that you can!" Despite the teen's encouraging words the female Egyptologist shook her head, her raven-black hair falling around her face.

"No, that is all we have. There is nothing more we can think of. That is not to say that we won't continue to try, but the road has become more difficult than before. And we have to figure it out soon, otherwise…." Ishizu's voice drifted off into the distance as she stared out at nothing.

"Ishizu? What will happen?" Ryou asked.

"If we don't find the magic that will return our Pharaoh to his body, the vessel that has been manifested for this purpose will slowly deteriorate. A body cannot live very long without a soul to be harbored in it, and if this continues for another couple of days Pharaoh Atemu's body will die from lack of nutrition and from simply… not living." Anzu's eyes went wide with fear as she heard this, which was one of the first responses that she had had all morning. The tears started to form, and she started to shake, though it was so minuscule that no one else really noticed as the panic began to take hold in all of them.

_He will… die_? Ryou thought to himself, unaware of the dark spirit that was watching from his soul room, observing the situation and now feeling the horror strike him as well. He walked back into the dark lair that was his soul, now trying to think of a way to solve their predicament.

(_He cannot die, that bastard!) _Bakura thought menacingly_. (They have to kill Samira! They have to save him, NOW!)_

All had become silent amongst them, until Anzu slowly rose to her feet with her head down and her shoulders trembling slightly. She sniffled as she turned around to walk away, but her trudging became a sprint, and then a run, as she flew out of the cave entrance and headed for the dunes, headed for the loneliness that it provided, and a place for her to think, to wonder about what the future held, and what her heart would tell her once she was all alone. She could hear Ishizu call for her at first, but then their voices faded away from her as she climbed over the sand dune, and tumbled to the bottom of it, where she sat for a long time just shedding tears, and trying to think about why she had been chosen for this mission, for this dire task. She came up empty-handed.

"Should I follow her?" Odion asked as he rose to his feet, but Ishizu put a hand to his shoulder and shook her head.

"Give her time to think- that's all she needs right now." Odion nodded and sat back down again, so that the attention was drawn to Ishizu once more. "And we should do the same. If we are to bring the Pharaoh back before sundown, then I suggest that we get started, or else suffer the consequences of our actions."

---

"It is time."

Samira approached her loyal servant, who had been waiting outside the door to the secret room of his mistress for some time now. Nothing seemed to have changed in her appearance, but the slave took notice in the fact that she had a renewed air of power to her stance and grace, and there was also the ravenous grin on her face that told her that she hungered- for death.

"Time that you dealt with the enemy, my Queen?" he asked to her as he bowed his head in respect for her. Her smile grew larger and held more glee as she responded.

"Yes! Time for the former Pharaoh to remain in limbo for the rest of his existence. He will stay in-between this world and the afterlife for all of eternity." She cackled as she brought forth t the bow and arrows. "Or at least, he will be once I use this." The servant could feel the magic overflowing out of the objects that she held, their aura strong with mystic forces that he couldn't even start to comprehend. They didn't appear any different in their physical form, their gold leafing and decorated scripture unchanged or altered, but he knew that they were different somehow, as if they had become powerful in a way that he couldn't see….

"So, do you depart now, my Queen?" he questioned, but as he did so she was already vanishing into the darkness, cackling the whole time as her body washed out into the black.

"I do, servant! Man the troops while I am away! This should not take long, but it will be oh so sweet!" And then she was gone, the only remaining essence of her left being the echo of her laughter filling the room in endless succession.

---

Malik floated around in the unlimited span of dark shadows, his mind an empty space as he continued to attempt his escape from the shadows. He was stuck in them, unable to move or pull away; he was bound within his mind, waiting for the voice that would set him free, the voice that would command him forth from the darkness of faked slumber and allow him to follow through with the master plan from which he now obeyed without question: the will of his Queen.

"_Malik_…." The voice cooed, and at that instant Malik became alert, attentive to the words that spoke to him in his head. "_Malik_..._ it is time_."

_Yes, my Queen_. And he flashed open his blank amethyst eyes….

---

Author's Note: _Dum, dum, dum! The drum roll quickens now as we get closer and closer! _

_Get ready, guys! It's coming soon, so be prepared for the drama and tears that this will explode before you! _

_See ya next update!_


	38. What Matters Most Of All

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Ooh, the 38th chappie is here! Enjoy, my readers!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 38: What Matters Most Of All….**

Anzu sat in the sand for a long time, contemplating all of the things that had happened to her that had brought her to this point. She lightly kicked the sand up with her boots, watching the clouds of it fade away in the breeze as it picked up the particles and sent them fluttering out to other parts of the desert. She observed them go, and wished that she could do the same.

Her heart felt like a shattered vase, spread out in pieces everywhere and if she tried to collect them together she would only hurt herself more. She wasn't sure what to do… she was upset because she dreamed of kissing Bakura, and the one person that she did love was going to die if they didn't bring his spirit back to the living world soon. Her world was falling a part around her and she was unsure of where to turn, or what to do….

_Pull yourself together_! Her conscience said, and she knew that she was overreacting to the situation, but how could she help it? She wasn't some strong, mystical being who could use a Millennium Item and make everything better with her Shadow Magic; she was a normal, ordinary girl who was simply thrown into extraordinary circumstances for which she had no control over. She was a pawn, like any other mortal teen playing such a dangerous game would be….

_But I don't have to be_, she thought to herself, _I can help them! I've always been there to help my friends, so what makes this time any different_? She gradually stood up off the sandy ground, her fists clenched as she took in a deep inhale and released it slowly, in turn diminishing her stress. _I've been crying long enough- it's time that I finally start helping everyone instead of being the sappy burden_. Though she was still a bit shaky, and butterflies did acrobatics in her stomach she made a gathering of what little courage she did have. She imagined all of her friends- Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Atemu- all looking at her with confidence and trust in her abilities, in her chances of winning, in _her_. She realized that, with that image bright and clear in her thoughts, the nervousness and fear died quickly, and she actually did have the strength to continue this fight.

_I'm gonna do this… for my friends_! And so she climbed the steep sand dune, and headed back towards the cave where her companions, and Atemu, were waiting for her.

---

"This is ridicules" Kaiba mumbled as he listened in on the deep talk that the three others in the room were having near him. He had grown bored of it quickly, and had no desire to know anything about magic and spells other than that they were for fools, similar to the ones that were spitting out nonsense a few feet away from him. He stood with his arms crossed and his back straight, and though that ached him slightly he didn't pay much mind since he refused to slump, or otherwise resemble that dog Wheeler. That wouldn't happen, not even over his corpse.

"Say the passage again, Miss Ishizu" Odion said quietly.

"I believe it went something along the lines of, 'Light of Egypt rise like the sun, from pit of peach the earth is spun, shadows flee but lost is heart, exchange of that which one cannot live to part'. The 'Light of Egypt' is definitely the Pharaoh, and him rising like the sun must be the revival- however, it said that he would be revived from 'pit of peach', and that is where I am lost."

"Well" Ryou interjected, "maybe it's a location to a place- the pit of a peach is its center, so maybe it's the center of a city or something."

"Yes, but which city?" Odion asked. "What village? There are many of those all across Egypt, though they may only be runs or completely nonexistent save a dot on the map."

"Then perhaps a monument- that could be it, right?" Everyone was silent, not answering Ryou's inquiry for a short while until Ishizu finally spoke up, though it was very hushed and as though she was trying to word out a thought that she had that wasn't fully finished.

"What I don't understand" she whispered, "is why a peach is mentioned in this passage. To my knowledge, there were no peaches in Egypt- I may not be completely sure but it still seems odd to me. If what I say is true, then what significance does the peach have to this riddle?"

An absence of sound held still, the thought-process taking place instead of the exchange of words, as the trio continued to brainstorm ideas until their heads were throbbing. Suddenly, the fact that the deep quiet had not been pierced finally caught on, and Ishizu, Odion, and Ryou began to feel uneasy by the calm. It was too silent, and with the notice of that came the obvious continuation of thought, the next sequence of questions that instantly came to mind.

"Kaiba?" Everybody turned around to where they last remembered seeing the CEO, and were shocked to see that he was laying face-down on the ground, unconscious and not appearing to be breathing. They all rushed abruptly to him, kneeling down beside him to see what had happened. Ryou pushed him onto his back, so that he was now laying face-up, and Ishizu checked to see that he had a pulse by putting a hand to his neck and listening intently. After a moment or two of dramatic pause, Ishizu sighed and looked to the males.

"It's alright- he alive" she said. Both of them let out a suspended exhale, but their troubles were far from over.

"What happened to Kaiba?" Ryou asked fearfully. A shadow flew out of the corner of their eyes, and all of them wheeled about to see what it was. To their dismay, they saw nothing besides the dark walls of the cave and the sunlit opening- their only means of escape if anything were to occur.

"We need to protect the Pharaoh! He may be in danger" Odion said, and as he did so both he had Ishizu sprint stealthily over to his body, the multi-colored haired boy still deep in slumber and unaffected by the latest panic. But they had no need to worry about him, as they soon realized once they approached the area.

"Where is Master Malik!" Odion shouted, his emerald eyes wide with terror as he looked around swiftly, with no Malik within his range of sight. Ishizu stood dumbstruck as she stared at the empty spot where her brother's body once lay, and then quickly regained her composure and took charge of the situation.

"Be on your guard Odion! Malik is not himself- we cannot think of him as our brother if he should attack-" her sentence was cut off as she turned to address Ryou. Her eyes veered to look at him, and what she saw was Ryou struggling against Malik as the blonde Egyptian grabbed a hold on the teen's neck. Ryou gagged a little as his pale hands attempted to grip Malik's hands and pry them loose, but he proved not to be strong enough as the amethyst-eyed servant continued to choke him, strangling him until there would be no more air left in him to stay alive. Ishizu rushed towards her brother and fiercely shook him, trying to pull him away from Ryou and let the snow-haired teen live.

"Malik! Malik, stop this now!" Ishizu shouted, but it was to no avail as he closed his hands around Ryou's neck tighter, and in turn Ryou's face became constricted as he tried to breathe but only found that he could cough a small wince out, and only that. Stars started to cross his already dim vision, and his head felt light as he saw the world around him grow dark and quiet… as Bakura possessed him and took control of the present predicament.

"Ma…lik… you…bastard" he hissed venomously as he ripped the Egyptian's hand from his throat and shoved him a good few feet away, watching as Malik staggered from the sudden push and then gained his balance, his body slowly aligning itself back to perfect straightness like a puppet being pulled back up by the puppeteer's commanding strings. He observed them with cold lavender eyes that made no suggestion that he had is own mind back, instead displaying the blue Millennium Symbol that was so prominently Samira' on his forehead, underneath his blonde bangs. He smirked at them malignantly, and he made no move to attack as the two of them stared at each other and waited for the first move to commence.

"Malik, stop obeying Samira!" Ishizu shouted to him, but his attention was not drawn to her in the least as he continued to stand off against Bakura and his lethal glare, his fists clenched and his legs positioned so that they could spring in an instant, his target most likely tomb robber who stood in his way so defiantly. He grinned maliciously.

"_My Queen will rule the world- there is nothing that any of you fools can do to stop her. She arrives soon, and with her entrance will come your destruction_!" He laughed at them, showing the poisoning evil that now consumed his being through Samira's control. His eyes moved towards the sleeping form of Atemu and his smirk grew larger. "_I will be here to make sure of that_."

"That you will not do, Brother!" Ishizu said as both Odion and herself drew close to the Pharaoh's body in a protective shield, facing him and eyeing him carefully. "Please Malik! Try to break free! She's brainwashed you to believe her lies! Don't give into them!" But her calls were only met by cackling from her sibling, his head thrown back to accentuate it so that it echoed throughout the cave.

"_I don't follow orders from you anymore, Sister. You cannot dictate me around the way you used to before Samira- I belong to her now, and it is to her that I have ears and a will to listen. Your cries will not change that._" Without warning Malik's gaze shifted to the cave entrance, where his eyes were drawn to something there. The others turned to see a figure shadowed by the light of the noon day sun, and though they could only see her outline they instantly knew who it was from the short hair, skirt and delicate stance that represented only one person out of the two that they were expecting.

---

Anzu was worn from walking up and down the sand dunes, since it was still a bit of a struggle to manage such a feat in her high-hell boots. She was mildly cheerful, due to the fact that the small bit of exercise she obtained from the strain proved useful in relieving her of some of her stress. She felt confident that, one way or another, she would bring Atemu back from the dead, even if it took a little thinking on her part and a bit more time. She could waste any precious time at all though, so the faster she got to working with Ishizu and Odion the faster the process would be. She came within reach of the small cave opening, and it looked pitch black inside from how bright it was outside. She squinted as she entered, and her manifestation was answered by someone's yelling towards her.

"Anzu! Don't go near Malik- he's still Samira's slave!" Bakura shouted when he saw Anzu approaching cautiously, her cerulean eyes scanning the dark room as she stepped forward into the room. She was at first unaware of the dangers that hid in the shadowed room, her eyes having a hard time adjusting to it from just being out in the blinding sunlight. She had thought that something was amiss from the way the silence had held when she first entered, and now that she saw Malik, blue Millennium Symbol and all, she became conscious to the fact that she had walked into a delicate battle, and her presence had now tipped the scales- possibly out of their favor.

"_Aah, Anzu" _Malik whispered as he watched her with animalistic eyes that narrowed as he spoke, "_so nice of you to join us. You almost missed the death of Pharaoh Atemu, but now that you are present_... _things can commence as planned_." Anzu stood silent for a moment or two as she observed the conditions, and she realized that she was not in a good place at the present time. Malik could launch an attack at her at any second, and she didn't have many options after that. His words also stunned her a bit, and she was taken a back by the thought that he had awakened to assassinate Atemu now. Why was he attacking them now, instead of earlier, but then a thought occurred to her: Samira must be coming. Anzu knew that she didn't stand a chance against Samira if she came into this feud, and once she did there would be no reason for Samira to not kill off Atemu as soon as possible. Everything was happening so soon; she was just getting over her grievances and now this crops up. She wasn't prepared, wasn't ready for a fight, and at this time her new-found courage was being depleted faster than Ishizu's food stash.

"Malik, you have to stop! Please don't fight us!" Anzu tired to reason with the former tomb keeper, but he only chuckled.

"_Save your words for my Queen- in fact, why don't you just tell her now, since she has just made her appearance_." All of them grew silent with fear, as the air thickened with a collective darkness that felt so cold and bitter that it could only be from one person. The shadows became darker, the air grew chilled, and just as Anzu felt like she would lose the feeling in her legs from fear she realized that she could sense a presence accumulate behind her. She turned her head slowly, and with wide eyes she watched terrified as the floating figure began to move into the cave, her steel-toed boots inches off the floor as her black skirt swayed with her slight movements, her hair gliding like an inky-black waterfall from her head down to her waist, framing her darkly tanned face and teasing crimson eyes. She moved leisurely, and as she loomed over Anzu the frightened brunette finally found control over her legs and shakily backed away from the woman, who smirked in delight at the fear that was overflowing out of her prey's eyes. Anzu staggered, but eventually found her footing and managed to scurry over to where Ishizu and Odion were standing, but that didn't seem enough to stop the rabid thumping in Anzu's chest as she watched the witch hover before them, smiling from ear to ear, with a bow and arrow in her hands, maliciously staring at them as she chuckled amusingly.

Now the true fight began; now the tables would turn and the ending to their story would be dependent upon the next few moments, and what would occur within them. The result of this encounter would determine if Atemu lived or died, if the world plundered into nothing or remained safe from evil, if Anzu would ever see Yugi's amethyst eyes look to her again. Now was the instant that they had all loathed, feared, and hoped would never come:

They were now under the ultimate attack: Samira had just arrived.

---

Author's Note: Yes, I know a bit of a lame ending but hey, I couldn't think of anything else to say. Well, here it is, hope you guys enjoy the next few chappies to come!


	39. Fate Has No Feelings

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note:_ Hey, guess what? I got 200 reviews! Didn't think I'd get that many, did ya?_

_Or maybe you didn't really care?_

_Whatever the case may be, I still got 200 reviews! And just like last time, when I hit the 100 reviews mark, I will announce who was my 200th reviewer! Drum roll please!_

…._ It was Ancient Dreams!_

_Wow, you must have some crazy luck to get this nomination yet again, Ancient Dreams!_

_Well, on with the fic! _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 39: Fate Has No Feelings….**

Anzu looked upon the woman whom she had feared for the last few days; the person who had tormented her for only such a short period of time and yet influenced many things within her existence. This was a witch with no feelings regarding those around her, or who she hurt to get her way, or who she used to make her presence known. And such was true as she positioned herself before them, snickering like a schoolgirl who had just heard a juicy secret and needed to tell it for a laugh. She had Malik on her side, and he showed no desire to resist her as he, as quickly as he had awakened, swiftly situated himself at her side, the same malicious smirk gracing his equally tan face.

Kaiba still lay on the ground, unconscious and unaware of the tense battle that was occurring around him. Bakura moved closer to the rest of the group, who stood around Atemu like a human shield, so as not to let Samira or Malik get to the helpless Pharaoh. Ishizu and Odion were strong like stone once more, as they had been during earlier encounters with Samira's other slaves; they would be like stone- unmoving, strong, and remaining towards their cause, which was to protect their king and Anzu in the process.

Anzu stood amongst them, like a fellow soldier preparing for the fight that would happen soon. She was attentive to all the sounds and sights around her, aware of the bleak silence as unseen forces clashed before them and showed their prowess to each other. She was with those that fought for good, those that refused to hand the Earth over to the likes of a control-freak with Shadow Magic and armies of slaves at her ultimate disposal. She was there for that, she was there for her friends, for Yugi… so that she could one day see Yugi and walk to school with him once more, so that she could listen to Joey's sarcastic jokes and have the ability to give him a good whack if they had anything to do with her. She had forgotten about Bakura's kiss, or her fear, or anything that held her back, for now her heart, her true emotions, held the reins and what they wanted most now was to see Atemu awaken and send Samira back to the hell she came from.

"Heh heh… hello again, dear little Anzu" Samira purred teasingly as she gripped the bow and arrow that she held in her tanned hands. Anzu thought it was strange to see Samira with a bow and arrow- if she was going to kill Atemu would she not use a sword or dagger or something that would surely put a mark in him? And Atemu would be able to heal from an arrow wound, but a sword could slice open his throat or tear out his heart. No matter what the reason, Samira had come with a weapon, and Anzu was sure that she would definetly use it if given the chance. "And so good to see you too, Akefia- feeling a little troubled?"

Bakura growled menacingly. "What are you trying to do here, Samira?"

"Oh, it's nothing much- I'll just keep little Atemu from ever coming to alive, for good." She snickered as she gently slid her fingers over the smooth wood of the bow. "You see, if I kill Atemu using a regular object, like perhaps my sword, then it wouldn't take a genius to realize that you can revive another body to take its place eventually. But, if I stop the body from being able to receive a soul, than he wouldn't technically be dead, now would he?" She cackled into the air, her whipping back and her hair swishing lightly with the sudden movement. "No, just soulless, and at that point his soul will have no where to go- he will be stuck in limbo, in between the world of the living and the realm of the dead. You will be without a savior, and I will be without another thorn in my side. Like you have become, little Anzu." Samira's crimson eyes glared down at the brunette, and Anzu shivered at the sight of them looking into hers so coldly. "Yes, you will be dead soon enough, but for now I have bigger fish to fry- or should I say, _freeze_."

"Samira, we won't let you through!" Ishizu warned, putting her arms up like she could possibly use them to block the powerful witch. "We will defeat you, and my brother will return to me! I can assure you of that!" There was a moment of silence, which was nonchalantly broken by Samira's oppressing chuckles.

"You can assure me of that? Please child, that is merely a wish for you mortals- your brother works for me now, and you'll just have to accept that thought, from _the afterlife_." She gestured down to Malik who stood perfectly still and calm, as though someone had found his off switch and pressed it; he reminded Anzu of a robotic doll, one with buttons to press and make it work, as long as you held the controller. At the moment it was Samira who owned that machinery, and with her powers no one could take that away from her. "You will all die, if not by my direct hand then at the hand of one of my minions. They are multiplying as I speak, and soon you shall be the minority upon this dreaded world, for which I shall be the ruler of!"

"You didn't manage that last time, Samira, and you won't be able to do it again" Bakura countered. "You don't have certain resources at your command, if you still remember." Anzu looked at Bakura cautiously as he spoke, her thoughts now prone towards his words and heeding their message. _Last time_? Anzu thought as she processed his reply to Samira. _What does he mean by that? Was he somehow involved in Samira's plot five millennia ago_? She didn't get a chance to further examine Bakura's terms, since her attention was once again drawn to the princess as she chuckled innocently.

"Don't fret, Akefia- it is not your style. Never was, as I can still recall." Her blood-red eyes drifted about the room slowly, as though searching for a forgotten memory. "But I have let go of such times, as you can plainly see. I have new resources now- the technology of this time period as been to much of my advantage, and there are far more people that I have recruited in comparison to last time. So, I doubt that a few changes are going to hurt my plans." She smiled cruelly down at all of them. "And at the moment, I have wasted precious time just speaking to you mortals. Time flies fast when you're having fun- isn't that a saying you mortals use? Well, time to end the fun." She motioned to Malik, so that his idle body now tensed into an attacking position; Anzu felt the air around her group tense up as well, as everyone braced themselves for whatever Samira threw at them.

But, what could they do against such a powerful, magical adversary such as Samira? They were normal people, with hardly any magic in them to use for defense; Bakura had the most Shadow Realm Magic, but would that be enough to halt, or even stall Malik and Samira for more than a second? Kaiba was out cold, so there was nothing he could do that would support them in any way. Ishizu no longer wore the Millennium Necklace, and even if she was wearing it Anzu was unsure if it had any significant fighting powers- the most she remembered it having was the ability to see into the future and past. Odion was strong physically, but could that do anything for them against the mystical abilities that Samira was in control of; would either of the two Egyptians feel too much grief to attack their own brother? And finally, Anzu doubted that she could put up a worthy fight for Atemu's life; she was the most human of them all, with now magic, no strength, and no knowledge of the past to help her. So what could this small team do against the might of such a prevailing opponent and her slave?

_We cam hope_, she suddenly said to herself, _we can pray. We can believe in each other, and support each other, either until Samira is banished, or we are destroyed. No matter what the cause, what the danger may be, we have to be strong. We have to try_! And so she glared at Samira with commanding sapphire eyes, ones that whispered her cause, the strength of her heart, and the depths that she would reach to save her friends, to save all mankind, and to see Atemu one last time.

Samira did not appear fazed by any of this. "You little mortals are so stubborn. Well, I have to get you out of my way, so that I can have a clear shot at the Pharaoh. This is why I have crowd control." She signaled to Malik. "Malik, be a good little slave and move your former friends for me." Without hesitation Malik sped forward, which took the crew by surprise; they had not expected Malik to move so quickly for an attack. Instantly he was beside them, and without delay he abruptly grabbed Anzu by the shoulders and sent her flying into Ishizu; both girls were knocked onto the ground, wounded and with the wind knocked out of them completely, but otherwise they were not unconscious and could move to a limited degree.

"Master Malik, you have to break free!" Odion shouted as he went up behind Malik and tried to pin his arms to his back. Malik was quick to see that assault coming, and so forth he dodged Odion's outstretched arms and instead slammed his small body into Odion's stomach, stunning the tomb keeper and forcing him to fall backwards slightly. He was more surprised than anything as he struggled to regain his footing, but before he could do so Malik kicked him square in the head, and Odion became too involved with the unbearable pounding in his head to deal with Malik.

Only Bakura remained close to Atemu's form, and as the showdown began Anzu- once she had risen from the ground and nursed her shoulder from the fall- noticed that he already had out his Duel Monsters deck and had pulled a card from it. He smirked at Malik as he looked at the card.

"It's all over for you" Bakura said. "I summon Nec-" but before he could bring out his monster Malik was already upon him, wrenching the card from the thief's hand so intently that he ripped it in two. With Bakura still taken aback by Malik's sudden attack, this allowed Malik to knock all of Bakura's cards from his hand to the ground, sending a flurry of them scattered all around the two fighters as Mali then punched Bakura in the stomach and pushed him over to where the others were sitting. Ishizu and Anzu brought him over to them where he grimaced at the pain, his chocolate eyes looking up at both of them keenly.

"If…if I had that sword… I would have kicked his ass like last time…." Bakura mumbled as he pushed himself up off from the ground, clutching his abdomen and wincing from how much it hurt. Samira cackled at the sight of her enemy.

"See how well-trained Malik is? Such a perfect mind slave." Malik had already returned to where his mistress stood, and she stroked her hand through his hair affectionately. "Took care of all you fool within a minute- yes, a valuable tool to keep, for all of eternity."

"No…Malik…" Ishizu whispered, small tears forming near her giant cerulean eyes. "Don't listen to her, Malik…."

"And now", Samira said, as she leisurely brought the golden bow up into position with the arrow that she would use being placed upon the bowstring, "it is time that I finally secure my victory." She held the bow in her hands, and the arrow sat against the wood and thread, as the princess stretched the string so that it was taunt and ready to release the arrow at a wounding speed. Just as Anzu thought that she would indeed release the arrow and send it soaring, Samira started to chant- it was in a language that Anzu was unfamiliar with but could assume was of ancient Egyptian dialect. It began quietly at first, then rose in volume so that the sound of it bounced against the walls of the cave, making it seem like many voices were speaking in unison. Nothing happened in the beginning, but as the chant grew louder the bow was suddenly shimmering with an electric blue brilliance that made the room feel like it was engulfed in shadows. That arrow soon glowed with it, absorbing the magic that the bow was fueling it with. Anzu didn't know what this magic was, or why Samira was doing it, but now she finally understood what it was meant to do: this was what Samira was going to use to seal Atemu's soul from his vessel. The chanting hit its climatic point, and when the last word was spoken, the last syllable announced, Samira's fingers let go of the string, released the arrow from her grip, and it started its flight through the silent air, towards its target, straight for Pharaoh Atemu's heart….

Slow motion: that is what Anzu felt as she saw the arrow gently soar through the air, her breaths coming in slowly and her heart beats becoming gradual and still. The world had stopped spinning, time had stopped, all was lost as she saw the arrow fly… every effort she made was being struck with that mystic arrow, being shot and torn down, becoming nothing but vain attempts at letting good prevail over evil. She was hopeless, there was nothing for her left now… death was a certainty, and the world would be molded into the demonic hell that Samira was plotting, and Yugi, her friend for all her life and through all the toughest times, was now an empty shell whom she could never help, who would be trapped forever as a servant to the shadows….

But as the arrow, at a snail's pace, glided towards Atemu's sleeping form, clarity unexpectedly found itself in Anzu. Suddenly she knew what she was meant to do, suddenly she realized what her purpose was in this fight, suddenly she understood why it was she who was chosen for this mission, why it was she who had been made to win. She knew her fate, her destiny, what the world had entitled her to do; she knew now what was asked of her, and she knew, deep down in her heart, in the depths of her very soul, what was to become of her, what she would now have to sacrifice, to let her friends live in peace once more. She could feel her body launch forward, her strong, dancing legs pushing her onward, the air slowly fluttering her hair and brushing past her face. She had no control over it, and yet all of the control was hers; she was commanding her vessel to move, yet was having an out-of-body experience as she watched herself push her body faster… quicker so that she could make it…faster so that she could do what she was meant to do. She could hear the chant, the chant that she had read back at Atemu's tomb… a time that seemed so far away from now… and it all came together, it all became clear to her, as the words of the chant became thoughts in her mind, became the reason why she was doing any of this.

"_Light of Egypt rise like the sun_..." Atemu arising from the dead, awakening from his slumber….

"_From_ _pit of peach the earth is spun_…" Anzu remembered something that should have been obvious to her all along… her name, when translated, means "peach". Anzu was the peach, and the pit of the peach was her heart, was her very core… the earth is spun from the love of her friends, from the love of family, from love itself… it is born of good and from the birth of love and friendship so came about people, and the earth…and from her love the earth will be reborn again….

"_Shadows flee but lost is heart_…" Samira will be defeated, when love has been returned, but a sacrifice will be made, to bring their savior back… to return Atemu to this world….

"_Exchange of which one cannot live to part_…" There is but one thing that Anzu had that she could not live to part, one thing that would be sufficient, as it was all she had, all she owned, all that she could offer… it was what let her breathe, what let her feel and love and dream… it was her life that she had to give.

Anzu had to be sacrificed for Atemu to save the world.

And so Anzu flew through the air like the arrow, her body taunt and her legs stretched to the farthest that they could reach… she could hear Ishizu and Odion call out her name but their voices faded away in the distance… she could see Malik try to spring forward to stop her from interfering but he would never make it in time… and lastly she could see the arrow, the spinning mass of sapphire light coming straight towards Atemu, but as she neared she stepped in front of its path, her body shielding Atemu from the impact as the world finally fell out of slow motion…

…and Anzu was hit in the heart by Samira's arrow.

---

Author's Note: _Yes, I must leave you here at this spot… yes, the Kleenex will be needed for the next few chapters… sorry fro the inconvenience of this cliffy… I'm notorious for these I know… R x R me soon. _


	40. Revival of the Heart

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note:_ Aah, so many of you are now squirming in your seats, are ya? Anxious to read the next installment of this wondrous fanfic? … hmm…?_

_Well, wait no longer, my friends! It has arrived- the 40th chapter of Revival of the Heart (so formally named "Revival of the Heart" by yours truly, because it is a special chapter)! Wondering about a character death, are we? Well, just read and you'll see what occurs to our beloved Anzu, and the even more beloved Atemu_….

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 40: Revival of the Heart**

Samira held the arrow's tip in her hand, feeling the small twig of wood roll gently under her soft fingertips and the intensity of the magic that she was about to launch along with it. She pulled back the silver bowstring, listening to the way it stretched and tugged against the wood of the bow, how it strained to be released and as it stood still in such a daunting position it gained strength and vicious desires to shoot forward when freed from its holdings, so that it may let go of the energy building up within its slender form. Samira could feel her lips purse as she started the chant- the one that she had so leisurely took from Shadi's memory when she had him as her prisoner- and it would be the one that would keep Atemu from ever returning to his body again. It would freeze his heart, seal his feelings into the nothing that was the Shadow Realm, and with a vessel so cold and so heartless it would no longer be able to harbor a living spirit, which meant that Atemu's soul would no longer be able to enter it. Samira smirked at her victory, but deep within herself she felt a sudden pang of guilt, a small tingle of feeling that she knew was nothing but a waste to her soul.

_It's too bad I cannot see you again, Atemu. Farewell_… and then she released the fiery arrow, its once normal form now surrounded by a living blue light that made it resemble a blue shooting star as it sailed through the air, straight for Atemu's sleeping heart-

And out of the corner of her crimson eyes Samira saw little Anzu shoot forward, the once dismal look in her lost eyes now replaced by determination, by a found meaning and a sole purpose. Samira commanded Malik to stop the mortal from doing whatever she was about to do, but by then it was too late; Anzu jumped into the path of the enchanted arrow, and let it strike her directly in the heart. Samira bit her lip, and could feel the rage swirling up inside of her; performing the spell upon that arrow had reduced her magic level by half, and she didn't have enough strength to conjure up another one. Her plans seemed ruined, and was about to let all her fury rain down on the girl for disrupting her plans but stopped herself as she suddenly realized that maybe, her plan had not been demolished after all.

_Hmph_... _I may not have gotten Atemu directly, but with that attack they still won't be able to bring him back- not when I have hit the one person who could do it._ She looked at Anzu with a grimace on her face. _Foolish mortals_….

---

Bakura watched, stunned, as Anzu was struck with the arrow, her seemingly frail form jumping into its path and blocking the speeding mass of blue brilliance from its original target. All the world had gone into slow motion, as the dramatic moment seemed doomed to linger on for hours and hours until the sight of Anzu's selfless sacrifice would become imprinted in his memory, for all of time until the end. His caramel eyes were wide with surprise, not because he felt any regrets for the brunette as she gave herself to the arrow's deadly force; he had no feelings, as he now had to remind himself upon occasion, no feelings for any living soul. All he cared about was his own well-being, and only that… still, the self-sacrificing actions of the mortal that he could see, plainly giving her life before him, made his heart feel a twinge of what it formally was…

…alive.

---

Anzu could see the blue light that was once a golden arrow draw close to her body; she was sailing through the air, trying to leap far enough forward the she just might be able to block the arrow from reaching her Atemu, from destroying the mission that she had worked so hard to accomplish. She wanted to close her eyes, so that she had the lasting image of Yugi smiling at her firmly in her thought before the arrow pierced her flesh, but found that she couldn't as she only stared at the on coming light, and felt it touch the edge of her shirt.

She had braced herself for the impact, for the feeling of sharp wood and metal making its way through her skin, into her flesh and straight into her heart or her lungs, when the blood would flow freely from the wound and succeed in her demise… and yet it never came. She managed to get a slight glance down at her chest, still in her mid-air stance, to see the shot of sapphire light sink into her skin and disappear beneath her shirt. There was a cool twinge that Anzu felt in her chest as the arrow sank inside of her, but she was too amazed by the enchantment that Samira had placed upon the arrow that she failed to notice it. Slow motion fell out from the scene again, and reality took its toll as Anzu landed shakily on her feet, with no present wound or blood escaping from her chest. Anzu felt fine, as though she had not been scarred or injured by the projectile at all, but the fact that it had become light, or perhaps energy, and became submerged inside of her chest made her shiver and shake with fear. She was plainly shaken from the fact that she had been closer to death than most people would ever come to, but now she realized that she was shaking, not just from the fear, but from something else, something other than dread….

Bakura observed the entire spectacle play out, as Anzu landed on her feet, clearly traumatized but apparently okay. Bakura knew better, though, as he remembered seeing that form of magic being used once before, in his own lifetime. He knew what was about to occur.

_All is lost_….

Meanwhile Ishizu and Odion saw what had happened through glazed eyes, glazed from the terror and the infinite possibilities that had been aroused. They had just witnessed Anzu's sacrifice for Atemu and for the sake of the world, but yet they still were in denial. They thought that the arrow had hit her, and yet Anzu showed no sigh of an arrow ever meeting with her vessel at any speed. They were worried, both for Anzu's safety and what could have possibly occurred to make the arrow disintegrate the way it did.

Because, for all they knew, Samira's magic was far more than what it appeared to be….

Cautiously, and as if planned by all of them, the three observers got up to their feet, and, after looking at Samira's dismal face and glare for Anzu, raced to the brunette in haste. They were feeling victory for her, as she had slipped up another of Samira's plans, but a wave of apprehension still hung like a cloud over them, like such happiness was never meant to be….

---

Anzu stood still, her mind racing at everything that had just happened to her, all in a few seconds, but they felt like hours to her that were so far away. She was feelings alright- perhaps a little chilled, but otherwise she in stable condition. Her heart raced from the excitement and terror that she almost faced, and her breathing was shallow and needy at best, but with all things considered she actually felt normal- scared, but normal. She wanted to look up at Samira and smile defiantly, but that would not go over well and she was sure that Malik would launch like a bullet for her throat if such was done. She could hear footsteps coming towards her, multiple footfalls, which meant that her friends were coming to her aide. She smiled inwardly, knowing now that all would be well, and the day might still be saved-

But that thought was dismissed rapidly as she suddenly felt a wave of cold sweep through her entire body, causing her to instantly clasp her arms around herself to try and sustain the only warmth she had. The air around her felt frostbitten and icy, as if winter had suddenly set in and took residence within her. Anzu took a terrified breath, feeling the warm air of the Egyptian land enter her lungs, but as she hissed it out slowly she was startled to see that a cloud of mist took its place, reminding her of being outside in the late fall or winter in Domino when the weather was extremely cold. Back then it would only be natural for a puff of mist to escape her lips, but now, in the hot land of Egypt, it meant that something was horribly wrong.

Bakura, Ishizu, and Odion jogged over to where she stood now, her back hunched over as she tired to ball up and conserve her warmth in her body. Now she was shivering, her teeth chattered noisily and her body vigorously trembled as she could feel the little heat that was within her vessel slowly die away, as a feeling of total frozenness flowered with her heart, where the arrow had vanished within her, and spread out through her body. They stopped and gathered around her, worry in the majority of their eyes as they looked upon the quivering girl. One minute she had been fine, and the next… was this the poisoning of Samira's magical arrow?

"Anzu?" Ishizu said nervously, as she placed her arms around the girl's shoulders. Ishizu felt like she was touching a block of ice, and instantly shivered from the cold. "Anzu, what's wrong?"

"So… cold…." Anzu could barely let the words escape her lips, for even they were trembling and beginning to stop functioning. No longer could Anzu mover her body with much success; she felt like she was freezing, dying gradually, and painfully…. The air was suddenly filled with Samira's laughter, and all of them save Anzu turned their gazes towards the cackling witch.

"Well well well, so I didn't get Atemu in the heart, but seeing as Anzu became the target it doesn't mind me a bit. I told you that you would die, my dear, but I didn't think it would be so soon!" She threw her head back to chortle some more, and to this Bakura and Odion grinded their teeth in rage.

"This isn't over Samira!" Bakura barked defensively.

"What have you done to Miss Anzu!" Odion shouted, and for this Samira relaxed her laughter and looked at all of them, grinning innocently with her crimson eyes.

"Aah yes, I forgot that you mortals don't know what this magic is- though maybe some of you do." Her eyes traveled down to where Bakura stood. "But, it would be my pleasure to inform you about the dreadful event that is progressing as we speak. I told you what happens when a soulless body is hit by my enchantment, but what of a living individual? My favorite thing in the world." She opened her blood-red eyes wide as she shouted, "Their heart begins to freeze, and they lose all emotions that they feel! They become like empty shells of what they once were; after their entire being is literally frozen with this spell, they have become so dismembered that they are no longer alive enough to live on. They have lost their hearts, and because of that there is no longer a will to live, a wanting to go on, and with this comes the body's response to _die_." She chuckled softly as she thought about such an occurrence that had happened so long ago… she could still remember how it felt to watch them perish. "This is what will happen to little Anzu! First her heart and soul will freeze into her subconscious, and then her body will stop living. As simple as that, but not as quick- this takes place quite slowly, and so her death will be a gradual, suffering type that I wish I didn't have to miss."

"Who said you were going anywhere, Samira!" Bakura replied nastily. "You aren't leaving here before giving us a counter-spell! Now!"

"Sorry Akefia, but that won't be possible. You see, I don't have know the counter-spell, and even if I did I wouldn't tell you- not when little Anzu has to go through so much pain." The princess let her gaze fall on Anzu, who was now resting lightly against Ishizu, who stood behind the brunette so as to support her as her body finally gave way. Her eyes had now gone blank cerulean, and though she was still focused Samira could see the light of life drifting out of her eyes, her lips mumbling listlessly, "cold…so cold" over and over again in the faintest whisper. Samira's lips curved into an evil grin.

Bakura growled in anger. "But then how have you been able to-"

"Akefia, so determined to find out things! Forget about such things, oh King of Thieves- it doesn't suit you to beg for the answers the way you are now." As she replied she flipped her hair back over her shoulders and made a motion to Malik, who for the entire time remained silent and still, unresponsive because his master had not given him an order as of yet. "Now, we really must be going. World domination takes time, and I have wasted mush of it on all of you. Hope you enjoy your last few days on Earth- you'll have only them to rely on." The witch wheeled around completely, so that she faced the shadows that clung to the rounded walls of the cave. Malik, as he had finally been commanded to do something, followed suit and turned away from them as well, moving robotically and saying nothing as he silently marched on with his master. Ishizu was quiet as she watched him go, but just as her brother started to approach his mistress she could no longer contain her hurt; she yelled to him in a somewhat wail.

"Malik! Stop listening to her! Come back to us, Brother!" But her heart-felt pleas did not melt that ice that held Malik firm, as he failed to look back at his sister and friends. Samira departed into the darkness, and with her Malik vanished as well, leaving behind only empty space where they once stood. "…Brother…."

"Ishizu" Bakura said, for once in a kinder voice despite the fact that it was still hoarse and cold, "forget about Malik. At the moment, we have other things to worry about." His eyes pointed to the unmoving form that was Anzu, and all of them turned as silent as stone as they examined her through their concerned eyes. She was pale now, much paler than she used to be, and clouds of misty breath still escaped her lips. She lay in Ishizu's arms, almost as though she had collapsed into unconsciousness, but her eyes though foggy and vacant were still just barely holding onto the small amount of life she contained. Her chest hardly moved up and down as she breathed shallowly, and if any of them looked close enough they could see tiny crystals of frost forming on her skin, and gingerly lacing her light brown locks. She sighed sadly, and as Odion and Ishizu helped to place her gently upon the ground to rest, they realized that now, they were no longer apart of the battle to save Earth.

This was Anzu's battle now.

---

_The world was silent and calm; Anzu could still see the world around her but it seemed hazy and barely visible through her eyes. She couldn't feel her legs or arms, but she knew that they were there, just numbed from the cold that gripped her tightly now. It had spread from her heart, through her chest and torso, down through her legs and into her feet, through her arms and into her hands, up her neck and inside her mind. All of her body was numb, like she had been outside in the snow for a half-hour without a coat. Everything was cold, and the world was no longer clear_...

_She could see Ishizu and Odion on her left and right, and Bakura stood over her, though he was further back and not paying as much attention as the others. She could hear their muffled words, but could not understand what they were saying_..._they were fading from her view, from_ _her vision as she slowly sank into herself, as she gave way to the cold, to the numbing ice and let her heart freeze_….

_She was inside her mind now, the image of Ishizu, Odion and Bakura giving way to being underwater, to sinking beneath the surface and dropping deep beneath the top_… _somehow it all seemed so familiar_….

(This is my dream!) _she thought absently, but that thought soon floated away from her like an air bubble as she became confined to the ice block that had consumed her once before, smothering her and paralyzing her and killing her oh so slowly_…_ but she was already dying, already frozen, so it was now only a prison, a barrier from which she was trapped within, forced to stay within as she lost all of her heart to the darkness that now surrounded the ice container, and in turn herself. The light was so far away, too far away for here to be saved now_….

_She could see her memories as they began to dissolve into nothing, like she was as she placidly watched the light from the surface move farther away. She could see her parents for a second, and then they were gone; her classmates, and then they vanished from her mind; she could see Yugi, Joey, and Tristan, all smiling at her as they shared a moment of victory, and that would leave with the rest of them_….

_But it didn't. Yugi and Joey and Tristan all moved away from her sight, moving out of the way for someone to approach. If she wasn't losing all of her heart, she would have gasped in surprise, for Atemu suddenly came into her view, and he was smiling at her so warmly, and kind… the memory transferred to that of her dreams, where he always haunted her and whispered to her in the dark… she could here his voice, so pristine and so clear, as he repeated what he had said there not too long ago._

"_So that you don't forget me."_

(Atemu!... So that's what you meant that day….) _She could hear his voice, hear the words, but now she could hear the meaning, hear the heart of what he meant, and as recognition swept over her she managed to regain the faintest control over her body, and tried to do what had to be done_….

---

"Ugh…guys…." Everyone turned, stunned to hear such a faint voice whisper. Anzu had spoken, though it was less words and more hissed out breaths, but they could understand her nonetheless and focused all of their attention on her as she seemed to come back from her comatose state.

"Anzu!" Ishizu said. "You can fight this, Anzu! Be strong!"

"There is no hope for her" Bakura murmured, his head bent down so that it covered his eyes. "She won't live through this. This is the ultimate death."

"Please Bakura, have faith!" Ishizu tried to convince the tomb robber but he had brushed her off. He walked away from them, refusing to watch as the slow death unfolded. Anzu let out a hindered sigh, and then started to speak again.

"You…y-you must…" she breathed, and as she did so she lifted a delicate hand up to her neck, up to wear the cartouches lay. She grasped for one of them, and as her hand found the one she was looking for, she held onto it tightly. "Take… this…."

"The cartouche?" Ishizu asked as she pried the gold pendant from the girl's pale and shivering hand, looking upon the silver surface. At first Anzu wouldn't let go, but after a moment Ishizu eventually separated the fist from the necklace, and noted how peculiarly warm it was, even with Anzu's hands being so cold as she gripped it. "Atemu's? What will this do?" Anzu struggled with her lips but could open them, if only just barely for they were beginning to freeze shut.

"T-ta…take it…to… Atemu…" she mumbled and her eyes began to flutter lightly, removing to frost that hung off her eyelashes. "Pu…put… it on….on him…." Ishizu did as she was told, and rushed over to his sleeping body, and still completely unaware of all the drama that was swirling around him. While Odion remained with Anzu the curator bent down beside Atemu, and gently lifted his head up onto her lap so that could latch the necklace clasp around his tan neck. Ishizu straightened it out so that it lay on his chest, contently situated on his vessel.

"Miss Anzu? What now?" Odion asked, but he obtained no response as the girl fell back into her coma, and became dead to them once again, floating into the crevices of her heart. "Miss Anzu? No, you have to fight it!"

"Odion!" Ishizu shouted, drawing the Egyptian's attention away from Anzu. The curator had stood up, and was looking down at the empty body of the Pharaoh.

"What is it, Miss Ishizu?" Odion asked, but he need not have to as a small light was emitted from Atemu's chest from the cartouche that Ishizu had placed there. It was faint, but glowed like the soft ray of the sun, capturing the majesty of the stars in its wake. "What's going on?"

"I think" Bakura suddenly said as he came up behind them, as he too was now intrigued by the outburst that Ishizu had a moment ago. He stared down at the light with his caramel eyes. "I think that this is the revival. The Pharaoh is coming back." The light grew larger as it overtook Atemu's body, so that his vessel glowed as though he had the sun now inside of him, and though at first it was soft it became too bright for any of them to keep their eyes open. Ishizu covered her eyes with her hand, but she was still puzzled with what had just taken place. How was this occurring? What had Anzu done to bring the Pharaoh back?...

_Anzu continued to fall deeper into the icy darkness satisfied that she had completed her task. With Atemu's help she had figured it all out, and now fully understood what the role of the cartouche was the whole time._

_From pit of peach the earth is spun_... _that was how the chant had gone, and Anzu had figured out that it was love from which the earth was to be formed. Her love, but she knew not how that would help to create the entire world again_…_ but as she lay within the confines of her icy prison she then discovered the truth, that it was not her self-sacrifice that would bring the Pharaoh back, but her love. Her love for him, for her friends, for all that existed… that was what would save them all this day. And the cartouche was the key, as it held all this magic, and as Anzu held gripped it before Ishizu took it away, she knew what was her duty. She let the last of her warmth, the last of her feelings and heart, flow from her hand into the cartouche, so that it could absorb whatever she had left within her that kept her alive. That was her love, her heart, and her soul… her life essence now ran through the silver surface of the cartouche, and hopefully into the heart of Atemu._

_She gazed at the light that was far away form her now, and as the darkness caved in around her, and all she could see was the ice, she smiled and finally let go of her heart. She was ready to accept her death now, if that is what it came to. Nothing else mattered except that Atemu returned to the living world, and she had done it: all she could do now was hope and wait._

(Good bye… Atemu.)

---

_Atemu floated in a sea of nothing, his conscious a vast expanse that stretched all over and into the nothing. He was unaware of anything, and yet everything at once, but could not feel or see, touch or hear, and as he floated in this nothingness he was without thought, without dreams, and without anything that defined living or dying. He felt a sudden tug, and a calling from the distance… someone was calling his name somewhere and as they did so he went to its source… he saw a light so brilliant that he was drawn to it like a moth to fire. He entered it, and as he did so warmth and feeling enveloped him, and he was being brought back to life again, back to all he held so dear…._

"_Anzu..."_ _he muttered softly, before regaining all his sensations and body, and gently opening his eyes…._

---

Author's Note: _Here it is! The revival is complete! Can't wait to give you the next chappie!_


	41. When All Seems Lost

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Wow, I never thought I'd get this far! 40 chapters! I'm surprised my fingers haven't fallen off yet…._

_But now the moment has arrived: Atemu is back, and for the most part the rest of the story, or at least the next few chappies, will be through his perspective. What does that mean for Anzu? Well, you'll just have to read and find out… and not break into tears along the way. _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 41: When All Seems Lost….**

Bakura was blinded by the light that the Pharaoh emanated from his lifeless body. There was no mistaking what was occurring now: it was the revival, and somehow magic was being used to bring the Pharaoh back into his vacant vessel. Though the tomb robber understood that much, he was still wondering what had brought this about; what made the cartouche that Anzu once wore around her neck so influential at such a crucial time?

Then he remembered how it contained mystical energies that were used to subdue Kaiba when he was under Samira's spell, ones that Ishizu said must have belonged to the dead Pharaoh that he had placed within it to protect Anzu from harm. Could the cartouche have enclosed something other than magic, something that would also help to guard over Anzu while Atemu was away… like a part of his soul?

_That must be it_! Bakura thought as he screwed his eyes shut against the brilliance of the light. _Atemu must have imprinted a part of his soul into the cartouche- just like how I placed a part of my soul into his Millennium Puzzle_. He now understood what was happening now: Anzu wasn't calling Atemu's soul from some dark abyss, but from the cartouche from which his soul took residence in. He must have become imprisoned within the cartouche so that he could remain close to Anzu before the revival was fully complete, and now that Anzu had let all her love and heart flood into the sliver pendant it triggered his release from the item, or perhaps the in-between realm that Samira had been blabbering about earlier.

Whatever the case might have been, Bakura didn't let himself work on the thought for too long, since the light was beginning to die down, and Atemu would be out for blood once he learned what was happening to Anzu Mazaki….

---

_Anzu slept within the casing of ice that surrounded her inside her mind, as she watched the nothing that was around the crystal coffin that she could now call home. Home_… _did she ever have a home? If she did she could not remember_... _she felt empty inside, like she had once known things before that now she could not recall_…_like friends_…_ did she ever have those_…_ it felt like she had, some time ago, in a time that she could not remember_…_ how did it feel_….

_How did it feel to have friends, or to remember_… _or feel at all_..._ she couldn't feel the things she once called love or happiness, sadness or anger, for now all she felt was the ice that encased her in the darkness and leeched her of what she had left_….

_But, even without those memories, or her heart, there was still one image that continued to haunt her mind_…_ hold its own in the disappearing vacancy of her mind… it was a man, with wild hair that surrounded his head with colors so bold and bright that she questioned the authenticity of the color, and amethyst eyes that were lightly glowing with a hint of crimson, like a dark sunset just before the twilight came. He was looking at her, staring at her, smiling at her_…_ daring her to recall his memories, daring her to remember who he was to her. She could recollect nothing, but he was still there, watching and waiting, as though he had known her before, and would not stop until she knew his face, knew his name_….

_But how could she know his name, when she was slowly forgetting her own?_

---

There was darkness, darkness everywhere… behind his eyelids all was dark and black. He fluttered them open, aware now of the fact that he could feel hard ground beneath his body, which was laying flat upon it. He could feel the heat in the air, how dry and arid it felt as he breathed it through his nostrils and let it sit within his lungs. He could smell the dryness of the air, and the heat… he could taste it on his tongue as he slightly pursed his lips, still unaware of anything around him. He could hear noises, like muffled footsteps and staggered gasps, even hints of a sentence being spoken somewhere near him but he could recognize the voice, or its speaker. His amethyst eyes were open now, and though the room that he was in was dim his eyes had already adjusted to the dark and could see the ragged walls, made of stone, surrounding him all around. They looked high and the room almost appears spherical in shape; wherever Atemu was, he knew it wasn't the afterlife.

_Where_… _where am I_? he pondered as his eyes started to swarm about, trying to glimpse at all that was around him. The last thing he remembered was being in the afterlife, in the empty room where the mirror stood, and hearing Anzu call out to him from inside of it. There was a strange light, and a swirling vortex of thousands of colors, and then he was here, lying on the ground in some unknown place and he had no explanation as to how he got there. His head felt fine, so he had not fallen on it and somehow caused a concussion, but now without the option of him being somewhat delusional he had absolutely no idea what had happened to him, and that was frightening knowledge.

He forced himself to move, to awaken fully from this strange dream of his, and he tilted his head up and then his upper body later on. He struggled to pull himself up at first, but as his muscles became aware of the movement taking place they started to flow, to move along with their master's commands. He could feel the coolness of air on his legs and the freeness of his tunic wear, telling him that he was clothed in his Egyptian outfit and not in the usual leather pants and school uniform of Yugi when they were sharing a vessel. He sighed at the memory, wanting to go back to those days, where life was filled with the sounds of Yugi's voice and the exciting thrill of duels and saving the world from whatever dismal peril it had succumb to. But, that would never come to be, because he was dead, a spirit, and no matter how much he wanted it he would never be able to visit the realm of the living, the world of his friends, ever again….

At least, that's what he was thinking as he got up from his position on the floor, but as he glanced around the room his eyes locked with three individuals who he never expected to see for a long time, and yet there they were, staring at him with such awe and wonderment that Atemu mused over the possibility that he had two heads or something, for them to look so bewildered. There was Ishizu and Odion, the two tomb keepers whom had guarded his memories and were also associated with Malik Ishtar, one of the villains from his earlier conquests; Atemu was fine with him and his family now, so he was quite pleased to see them here, wherever he was. The third face, however, is what caused him to scowl slightly and now question what had brought him to this unknown place: Yami Bakura, also known as the King of Thieves. Though Atemu had died and left the world with no grievances for anyone, he didn't grow any soft feelings for the malicious demon that wore white hair. He felt hatred for him, and now felt the need to find his friends so that they would be aware of the tomb robber's sudden appearance. He reached into his mind and called for Yugi's soul, but then remembered that he was no longer attached to his hikari's body, and he felt a twinge of sadness lurk over him as that fact of life- or death- manifested in his thoughts.

"Ishizu… Odion… _Bakura_" Atemu whispered, thought he kind of snarled the last name he spoke with bitterness. "How… what are you all doing here… with me?" Then a thought dawned on him, which made him panic for two out of the three people he was with. "Are you… you are not dead now… are you?" Ishizu shoo her head absently to respond to her Pharaoh's question, and Bakura's smirk only grew wider. Atemu scowled, since he hated that smirk when it cam from Yami Bakura.

"No, my Pharaoh, we are not dead" Ishizu said quietly. "We are very much alive… as you are now as well." Her last few words struck him as odd, and it took a few moments to process them in his mind.

_Alive_? _As I am_? Atemu wasn't sure what she meant by that, but his eyes widen as he finally understood what she was trying to explain. _Wait! I'm alive? Is that what she means? _Atemu looked down at his hands, which he showed to himself so that the palms faced him. They looked the same as they did in the afterlife, and he could not tell the difference… but if what Ishizu said was true, then that meant that he was… no longer in the afterlife, and had somehow been brought back to living world for some purpose that he could assume had something to do with saving the world- again-… but how did they bring him here? And where was _here_ exactly? All these thoughts ran through the spiky-haired teen, but he trued to narrow them down so as to get some answers.

"How did you bring me back?" he demanded softly, not wanting to offend them, although from the glare that Bakura gave him he was sure that at least one of them wasn't wanting him back. "Where is Yugi, and Joey and Tristan, and Anzu? Where is Malik?" He looked to his left and right, but he saw no welcome-home party with his friends surrounding him gleefully, as he would have hoped. He momentary looked at Ishizu and Odion, and even Bakura, and all of their heads were bent down dismally and their eyes told a story of sorrow and misery. His heart skipped as he judged their appearances. "Nothing's happened to them, has it? To Yugi, to Anzu?" No one answered him for a moment, but it was a moment too long for the panicky Pharaoh. "Tell me, please! Has anything happened to them!" Again no one answered, instead just keeping their heads bowed and their voices silenced, but before Atemu could even inhale so that he could plead once more, Ishizu placed her hand upon his, and settled his arms back into his lap; he knew that he gentle actions and no words, meant that there were things that he would hear that he was sure he would like in the least. He braced himself as she spoke.

"My Pharaoh… so much has taken place after your departure" she began, her voice meek and solemn, and she still refused to look him in the eyes. "After you left… a new evil emerged, a princess from Ancient Egypt calling herself Samira. She has the ability to control the minds of men and boys, but only them, and she desires world conquest as we speak. She… she has Yugi-"

"Yu…Yugi…? She has him?" Atemu mumbled to her, his heart now grieving just as it had been when Yugi gave up his soul to the Orichalcos, and how it had been his fault that it had happened. What was happening now was not his fault but he felt the sorrow swell up in him anyway. "And… what of…."

"Joey and Tristan are with her too" Odion finally responded, placing a hand on Ishizu's shoulder because she was crying a little as well from the Pharaoh's misery. "She controls their minds, as well as several armies of others… even Master Malik…."

_Malik too_? Atemu thought, stunned now that even the powerful tomb keeper, who had proven to be a manipulator of mind slaves himself in the past, was now the puppet of some unknown temptress, and demon, as Atemu now labeled her, for what she has done to Yugi and his friends. He had to rescue them, he had to save Yugi, and Joey, and Tristan, and Anzu- but Ishizu had mentioned Anzu yet. The curator had said that this witch Samira could control the minds of male people… but said nothing about women. So what of Anzu? What weren't they telling him about Anzu, about the fate of the one whom, even he, could sort of admit that he-

"What happened to Anzu?" he said abruptly, not allowing the thought to continue on anymore than it had. "If she's not under any kind of mind control, then where is she? What's happened to her?" Now the three of them became extremely reluctant to tell him what was going on, but the desperate look in his amethyst eyes made the Egyptians deem it necessary to force the words out from their throats, where as Bakura was enjoying the torture the Pharaoh had to be going through not knowing what had occurred to his precious Anzu. He grinned, but did not let it show as he knew that the Pharaoh would send him to the Shadow Realm a million times over in the state of grief that he was in.

Ishizu inhaled deeply, afraid now then ever to say what she was about to say, knowing what the Pharaoh, her king, would feel in response to her words. She didn't want to admit what would be said herself, hoping that is she didn't say it then maybe it wouldn't be true, that maybe Anzu wouldn't be-. She forced herself not to ponder it any longer, instead finally hissing out. "Samira's been hunting Anzu down, wanting her dead for the reason that I am just starting to understand… we were hiding out here, and Samira ambushed us, and she wanted to attack you with a spell that she had conjured, but… Anzu let it hit her instead." Thoughts racing through his mind, Atemu could feel the tear fall from his widened eyes, and his mouth open but no words to exit. Anzu had blocked an attack aimed at him, aimed to kill him, and let it destroy her instead. She sacrificed herself for him… did that mean now that she was-

"Is she… is she….?"

"She's not dead yet" came a sour, gloomy voice, and everyone turned to see that it came from none other than Yami Bakura. He was glancing away, over at the wall and in no way seemed to want anything to do with them and their depressing softy stories. "Not yet, but she will be sooner or later. The spell that Samira used on her has frozen her heart, and now it is slowly draining the rest of her memories and feelings from her and feeding them to the shadows. She will be nothing but a shell soon, and by then, she'll have died in spirit anyway." He looked over at them with his sharp, unkind brown eyes, fixing them on the Pharaoh and glaring at his disheartened. "You cannot save her, you know that? There is no way to reverse the spell now, and it's too powerful to overcome. And even if she did break through the enchantment, the Shadow Realm must have noticed by now the free lunch that she's become and won't give up on taking her soul apart, fragment by fragment. There's no hope now," he sighed, "and there's no point caring about her now. Forget her- you'll be wasting your time if you don't." And so he turned his head back around, and continued to stare off into nothing, content at the speech that he made. Atemu, however, was still restless and hurt, and wanted to see this all for himself.

"Where is she, Ishizu?" he asked, his voice failing to mask his pain as Bakura's words became reality to him slowly. She nodded in response, and then pointed behind him and slightly to the left; Atemu wheeled his head around, and saw her, laying there on the ground not too far away from where he was now. He got up to his feet, walking to her the way a man did when he knew his death was imminent. He was graceful in his stance, despite how painful his heart felt, as his purple cloak billowed behind him and his head hung low in despair. There, sleeping on the ground in front of him, where he knelt down and brought her into his arms, was her, one of the few people whom he had become so close to while on Earth, one of the few mortals that were still around to remember him and not living in the afterlife. She looked so peaceful as she lay still in his arms, unmoving as she barely breathed, barely appeared in the slightest bit alive. Her hair, once shiny and brown, cut short so that it stayed around her face, now stayed limp and bleak as it was covered with frost crystals that melted at Atemu's touch. Her skin was as pale as snow, and as cold as ice as Atemu held her in his arms, making her look sickly and yet immortally beautiful at the same moment. Her breaths, when they did come out, were small puffs of mist that signaled cold weather, but only told of the frozen state that the teen was trapped in, to die in slowly and without assurance of her loved ones' presence. Her eyes, though half-closed, continued to look at him with their pale and wispy cerulean color, though now it was more of a pastel aqua rather than the deep sapphire he was so used to staring into all the time. Within them he could see the loneliness, the sadness, the emptiness that had consumed Anzu, and all at once he was consumed by his guilt for ever leaving his friends in the living world, and for not being by their side when they needed him most.

_I could have helped them_, he thought listlessly, _I could have saved you, Anzu_… but no one was there to tell him that it would be okay; Ishizu and Odion watched from afar, as they did not wish to disturb their king as he said his final good byes. Bakura was moping in some corner far away, and unknown to Atemu, Kaiba was still unconscious on the floor in the distance, and he was unaware of any of the pain that his rival duelist was enduring at the moment. Atemu now felt guilt, he felt sorrow, and rage towards the evil that was named Samira… how he loathed the name now that he knew what had been left in its wake. For now thought, all he could think of was Anzu as she slipped away from him, and feel deeper into the shadows….

"No…" he whispered to her, and as the tears started to flow his voice became loud and strong, his feelings pouring from his like a broken dam. "NO! Anzu, you can't be gone! You can't die! Stay… please stay! Don't go...!" But he knew his words would make no difference as he stared into her tinted vacant eyes, now only a shadow of what they formally were: the light, happy blue eyes of the only person that he had ever felt in love for. He had never admitted it, never to himself or to anyone, but he knew now as he held her in his arms so close, and with her on the brink of death, that this was how he truly felt, this was what his heart truly cried out to the world. It had taken so much suffering in so little time for him to see the truth… and now the one person who he wanted to tell this to the most, wasn't going to be around to hear it much longer.

_If only there was a way to put feeling back into you, Anzu, _he thought absently,_ and if there was, I would do it, without thought. I would save you_... _no matter what the cost. _Out of nowhere he thought he heard her voice, her voice calling out to him, from somewhere in the distance, from somewhere dark and cold….

"_Atemu_… _don't give up_."

_A-Anzu_?

"_You will always find a way_… _just like I did, to save you_." He didn't know where the voice was coming from, until he glanced at where his hands were and saw that one of his fingers was on a pendant around her neck, one that looked so much like his cartouche. Upon closer examination he saw that it was gold, and it had her name imprinted on it: Anzu. Grieve began to swell in his heart but at the same time he felt an idea come with it, and it was recognized within him as a way, as his answer to his solution… and even if it didn't work, at least Anzu would know that he was there for her, until the end.

"Anzu…" he muttered to her, though she did not respond. He could feel the energy, his love, the feelings that he had for his friends and Anzu rise up inside of him, moving like a restless smoke that needed an outlet. He rallied his thoughts and his energy, and centered it all on one place, the place where he would expel it, and it would hopefully make its way into the women that he cared so much for, and heal the heart that needed mending from the coldness of all evil. He collected his Shadow energy, whatever he could obtain from his new body, for he did not know the extent of the magic that he could summon, and he released his heart, released all the feelings that he bundled away for so long and never revealed to a soul… all his might and all his will went into this as he imagined Anzu's face, her smiling, glowing face, enchanting him with her warmth and life.

_I hope I can give that back to you, Anzu_. And then, without further thought, without further hesitation, as he made his final farewell or perhaps his first hello to a person that he had never told the truth to, he leaned down so that his face met hers…

… and placed his warm lips upon her own.

---

Author's Note: _And that was chappie 41… sniffling over here, that was very sad… (_sniffle_ as authoress reads over her own work) … review soon guys_.


	42. Bring Me To LIfe

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _And so, the 42nd chappie has made it here… you know I've been noticing a lot of typos in my chapters (I try to type fast but then I get clumsy- sorry!) and I'll try to look over my work before giving it to you guys to read!_

_Enjoy the goodness!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 42: Bring Me To Life….**

_Ice… and the cold… the darkness without the light… that was all she knew…._

_The girl watched the nothing, watched as the tendrils of shadows pierced through the ice encasement and gently took from her the fragments of herself, so soothingly and gingerly that Anzu could no longer feel their slippery touch upon her frozen skin, entering inside her and leeching the life from her empty mind. The ice was holding her still, so that she could not get away… and at the same time it helped to numb the feeling of intrusion from the shadows as they stole from her the thoughts and heart that was once her own. It kept her quiet, so that she could not resist… kept her entranced so that she could not fight._

_But what was there to fight for, in this ice, in this dark? She was nothing, a shadow of a former existence… she did not know who she used to be, or what had made her any different from the ice and dark, for now she had melded with it, and became a part of it, since she had nothing else to grasp onto. Her image was gone, so she did not know what she looked like, if she looked like anything at all… her thoughts, the few that could emerge from her numbed and frostbitten mind, were swiftly removed from her by the Shadow Realm and fed to it eagerly; the shadows did not want her dead yet. No, they wanted to keep her barely alive for as long as possible, so that they could confiscate from her everything and anything, not wanting to waste a single drop of her rich and supple life. They owned her now, owned the memories, in turn owning her for she was the memories, and was the thoughts that she once had, all to herself; now she was no longer any of those things, but they belonged to the shadows, and so now, she did as well_….

_There wasn't much to fight for, wasn't much to resist for, since she didn't remember anything beyond the darkness… if there had been anything to begin with. Perhaps she had always been here, in the darkness, feeding it with her life and draining her of the remnants of her long-forgotten soul. She was no longer a person, or anything, just there… there to be there, just simply existing, and so she did not care. She did not care what happened around her, or to her, because she simply existed, and therefore didn't have a purpose worth caring about the future or the past she might have had._

_It could have been hours, maybe even days, of her sitting in the blackness like this, the only thing that she could see being the crystal ice that coated her all around, enclosing her from light… but did she even know what light was? She could imagine that it was warm, and soft… whatever those things were to her. She tried to ponder this more, but as she did so a shadowy vine flew from the darkness and shot itself so that it penetrated her forehead; it should have hurt but she didn't even flinch, as the tentacle grasped the small ball of light that was her thought and pulled it back into the distant dark, its light fading away as it too became encased in the unending shadows. Now she did not remember what she had been thinking, and slowly let her eyes close and drift into the empty space… the unforgiving empty space_….

_But something wouldn't let her; her eyes refused to close as she felt something approaching. And the fact that something was coming didn't surprise her as much as the fact that she had **felt** something and that was strange within itself. In the distance she could see the darkness suddenly struggling to stay intact, but there was something out there that was pushing it away, something killing it and causing it to separate and let the attacker through. As whatever it was pushed its way through she could feel… warmth… and softness, tenderness and grief… her heart was so tired from fighting to remain alive that it felt constrained by all these odd abnormalities, but as she recognized them as feelings her heart let itself become flooded with them, and she soaked her soul in what she soon remembered was light, shining through the darkness._

_(But what could it be_?) _She wondered as she stared at the brilliance of the light, and then she was shocked that the shadows hadn't come to take the thought away from her, to steal and to feed itself. But she could sense that the darkness wasn't staying as close to her mind as it once was; the light was pushing it away, into the recesses of her soul, and forbidding it to come any closer_. (_What's happening?)_

_Then, all of a sudden, her perspective doubled, so that now, as strange as it seemed, she was having a double vision; the one was still inside her mind, still enclosed in the icy spell, and the other was back within her body, through her eyes… and staring into the amethyst ones of Pharaoh Atemu._

_(He's here_…) _she breathed in her thoughts as she could see his image, though it was hazy and a bit vague; she thought that she had forgotten him too, but upon seeing his face she knew otherwise as he became a fresh memory in her mind. He was holding her in his arms, cradling her form, and whispering to her a name. He said it with such heart and compassion that it looked like he was on the verge of tears, and then she realized that he was… Pharaoh Atemu was crying, for her. And the name he spoke, so quietly and lovingly, was something so familiar to her, but from where she did not know. She felt like she knew it somehow, like a part of her that she had forgotten so long ago, but was only at an arm's reach._

"Anzu" _he whispered to her._

_(An_…_Anzu? Is that_…?) _she thought cautiously, the memory returning to her slowly, _(_my name?) Now all he did was stare at her, look at her, and loose himself in her oceanic eyes, so pale and blue like the sky itself. She stared into his, the part of her that was awake, and the part of her that still slept within her heart could not understand the feelings, for what they were and why she had them were a mystery to her empty heart. But all he did was stare, and she felt like he was looking into the depths of her soul, into the confines of her heart. He was inside of her, he knew her pain, and he was here to let her know… to let him know that he was here for her, to fight the darkness and be by her side; all from one long stare._

_How can you see into my eyes like open doors_

_Leading you down into my core_

_Where I've become so numb without a soul_

_My spirit sleeping somewhere cold_

_Until you find it there and lead it back home_

_Suddenly he was leaning over her, looking into her eyes with longing, and she could see what she had not seen before. She knew that she had… wanted something from him, but her heart was so empty still that she did not remember what that something was, but it was… important. And he was finally giving that to her… how could she still feel so cold and heartless to not even recall the something that she had wanted from him in so long, but never obtained? He was pushing his face closer to hers, his warm breath and skin edging in close proximity to her icy counterparts, and though she could only see through her eyes and couldn't control anything else she desired him to come nearer, because he felt so warm, the one thing that she could feel melting the ice that held her spellbound. He came up to her face, and before she could even prepare for the collision he locked his gentle lips with hers, and planted upon them a heart-felt kiss._

_Wake me up inside_

_Wake me up inside_

_Call my name and save me from the dark_

_Bid my blood to run before I come undone_

_Save me from the nothing I've become_

_There was life… so much life streaming from his kiss… she could not control her body to respond but she felt the softness, felt the tenderness, and there, she felt the thing she wanted most, the thing that gave her life. She still could not name it, but it was there, as plain as could be, and it suddenly gusted into her like flood waters that would not stop coming. Inside her heart she felt it swell with the warmth, with the emotion in his tears and touch, and as it did so she could see within her soul that the ice was starting to melt away, dissolving at the entry of all this light. The darkness fled deeper into her mind, refusing to let go of their meal but at the same time fearing the power that this light held within their captive. Her whole being was engulfed with this light, with this feeling… on the tip of her tongue it stayed but still she could not place it… but as the ice began to crack and then burst as though it had been smashed into a million crystal fragments it came to her, so plainly and simply that she could not understand why she had forgotten it, why she didn't know it was there._

_It was love; his love, and her love, and all of everything. It was love._

_Now that I know what I'm without_

_You can't just leave me_

_Breathe into me and make me real_

_Bring me to life_

_The ice was shedding off her skin, away from her face and heart. She instantly became submerged in the light, in the warmth and the trust, in the life and the love that Atemu gave to her without thought or hesitation. She basked in it like the noon day sun, wanting the light to be all around her, shining on her tired soul and making her feel whole again. Her heart was beginning to recover what it had lost, and now she could remember the things that mattered most to her._

_Wake me up inside_

_Wake me up inside_

_Call my name and save me from the dark_

_Bid my blood to run before I come undone_

_Save me from the nothing I've become_

_Bring me to life_

_She could see her parents, her classmates, and her friends… she could see the memories that were her own but had been given to the shadows. She cried now… cried more than she ever had before, for she grieved the memories and how she had forgotten them so easily. Chips of ice still stayed around her fragile form inside her mind, but she brushed them away, resisting their tempting coolness and the emptiness they had addicted her to before. She never wanted to be frozen again, instead reveling in the kiss, in the light… now more than ever she wanted to say that she loved him, loved the one who saved her, for he brought her feelings back to life… he had brought her back to life, just as she had not too long ago._

_Frozen inside without your touch without your love_

_Darling only you are the life among the dead_

Atemu didn't let go, for he feared that what he was giving wasn't enough; he poured his heart out into the kiss, hoping that Anzu could feel his love… something that he had denied but now knew that such a thing could not be forgotten.

Why had it taken this long, and this much pain for him to realize what Anzu truly meant to him? The realization of it happened so quickly... to see her lying there, dying there in his arms… that was all it took for the feelings to awaken inside of him and burst alive and into blooming. Perhaps he was the one who was asleep in the shadows, looking for the light, waiting for it to find him… but he had found it as he stared into the vacant cerulean eyes of Anzu, as he brushed his lips upon her cold ones and pushed his life into her own chilled vessel.

Perhaps he had always been too concerned with the affairs of the world that he had dismissed his thoughts for Anzu as anxiety for all of his friends; he had wrongly grouped her into the friend category before he had a chance to examine his own heart. Being in the afterlife had shown him that, as he missed his hikari Yugi and Joey and Tristan, and all the others in the living world that had assisted him in all his endeavors, but it had been Anzu who he was most worried about, it was Anzu who he watched over with a vigorous but sad heart. He held regret, he held guilt, for not telling her how he felt for her, but to tell her such a thing when he knew he would die would only make her sad, and he had not wanted that for her. He held back his words when he had left for the afterlife, held back his heart, to save her well-being, but now that he was back he knew how wrong that was of him, to be so cruel to the one he cared most for. He had been so blinded… why didn't he see it before?

_All this time I can't believe I couldn't see_

_Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me_

_I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems_

_Got to open my eyes to everything_

_Anzu was swallowed up in the light, back to realm of white, where she had seen Atemu so many times and now she would see him again. He was there, standing before her in his subconscious, smiling at her with his kind knowing smile and looking at her with his loving amethyst eyes._

_Atemu could feel his spirit drifting into her own, for he had become so enveloped in the kiss, in the thought of seeing her once more… she stood with him in a white-washed place that seemed never-ending and all the more quiet. But there she was, and she was all he could see, now that he realized what was truly in his heart. She was smiling at him, her sapphire eyes reflecting the love that he had given to her and sending it back through her eyes. They drew close and held each to her close, embracing in each other's spirit as they became intertwined… they were one, and only one, and they had merged to become one… now that they knew the honest truth._

"_Atemu" she whispered into his shoulder, and a tear slipped down her cheek into his violet cloak. He stroked her hair gingerly._

"_I'm here now Anzu" he muttered into her ear, and her heart pounded deeply with the resonating sound of his… they were one heart, beating together, and their cartouches touched, their gold and silver surfaces kissing together to celebrate the reunion, to celebrate the rebirth… but something still didn't feel right, still felt off inside of Anzu. She could feel something cold, something evil, still lurking within her soul… and when she suddenly felt the awful touch of the shadowy tendrils grab her spirit she now knew why: the Shadow Realm wanted their prey back, and they did not want any light to stop them from finishing their meal. They yanked her from Atemu's embrace, and she was pulled back into the chasms of her mind, of her heart, where Atemu's light could not penetrate at all. _

_Atemu's eyes went wide as he felt the sudden jerk of Anzu's spirit a little from him, and then get torn right out of his arms as he watched her fall back into the distance, her arms reaching out for him, shouting his name. Without her to anchor him he too was removed from her mind, being pulled back into own body by an unseen force. He yelled out her name, so many times over as they were both separated, him back into his own body, and her back into the darkness._

"_Anzu! ANZU!" He screamed, tears falling from his eyes, and he could see that she was weeping too._

"_ATEMU!" she cried, and then mouthed out a single sentence as she was whisked away into the shadows._

_Without a thought without a voice without a soul_

_Don't let me die here there must be something more_

_Bring me to life_

_I'll be back…wait for me_, and then she was gone as Atemu retuned to his own vessel, and reluctantly unlocked his lips from Anzu's. He opened his eyes again, and could see that she was no longer cold; the paleness disappeared from her skin and her eyes, as they returned to their normally crystal-blue state, closed gradually as she was finally through with one battle, and entering another.

---

Bakura had pretended not to watch, but he could not help but see the whole event unravel before his chocolate eyes. He watched as the hopeless fool of a Pharaoh had knelt down beside his precious Anzu, and pulled her limp form into his arms… he knew that the Pharaoh couldn't help her, for she was now a slave to the darkness, forever left to feed it until it had fully drained her of all she had and wrung her dry. But as he watched, and listened to the Pharaoh's cries, he wondered if his nemesis was planning to bring her back, planning to try and return Anzu to her normal state. He snorted at such optimistic thoughts.

_He can't do that_, he hissed, _there's no way. Once a person is under that spell they are a servant to the darkness forever, so he can't help her now. I should know_, he thought, reminiscing about a past long gone. _Once he sees that he will be so devastated that he won't be able to save the world_… _Baka Pharaoh and his stupid feelings_... _or maybe he will be so enraged at her death that he will pursue Samira until he has the chance to send all his Shadow Monsters on her… yes, that will do just fine_.

But he could think no longer as he continued to watch out of the corner of his eyes, and they widened with surprise when he saw the Pharaoh plant a kiss on Anzu's lips. Bakura could sense an extreme amount of Shadow Magic being conjured within his enemy, and it was being expelled... into Anzu! He was manifesting feelings and light, combining them with Shadow Magic, and then transferring them into the teen. The kiss lasted a long time, but even in that time Bakura simply could not think, could not speak, though he wanted to make some shrewd comment that would break the Pharaoh's concentration and royally screw him up, but he wasn't in the mood. Instead he just observed, and waited, to see what would unfold, now that the Pharaoh had broken Samira's spell, but the darkness still remained….

**---**

Author's Note: _Now the spell has been broken, thanks to Atemu, but now Anzu is faced with a bigger problem: escaping the darkness that has now manifested in her heart and still wanna take her apart, piece by piece! What will happen? Wait _for_ the next chappie of this really cool and made-by-me (Angel's Nocturne) fanfiction!_

_Oh, and the song I used was Bring Me To Life by Evanescence. Hope you enjoyed it! _


	43. Light Amongst the Dark

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Sorry for the slight wait, guys! I got another story out, called The Prince of the Orichalcos and Yami is the main character so anyone interested in my more Yami-centered fic should read this one._

_But don't forget about this fabulous fanfic of mine, for it is just starting to get good! Hope you like this chapter!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 43: Light Amongst the Dark**

Samira manifested back into her throne room, her bleak shadowy form almost invisible amongst the darkness that so shrouded in a mysterious fog. She could feel her mind slave Malik appear along with her, his aura within her senses and her grasp as they re-entered her palace, with their mission complete.

_And so another servant has returned to me_, Samira thought pleasantly as she put her hand on top of Malik's head gently, but even if she did it in fierceness he would not flinch, for if he felt fear it was not his own and similarly, he could not have fear if she was the one who would induce it. He did not move as she lightly swept her fingers through his platinum blonde locks, his eyes vacant and unresponsive as he was merely a puppet who followed her will, and her will at the moment was to not to be active, to only be within the movement of a statue, as that was how she enjoyed displaying her power over her men. She smirked at the thought, but as she did so she suddenly felt a shiver go up the back of her neck, startling her and her other servant, who had just entered the room as soon as he felt his master's presence.

"Something wrong, my Queen?" he asked her worried. She grimaced as she sensed the force that had just been reawakened, and she knew of whom she did so feel. Her ruby eyes refused to show what she knew but still held the pain that was evoked by this sensation, by this knowing.

"Nothing of your concern, slave" she muttered under her breath, but loudly enough that he could hear it and let it strike fear in his weak heart. She grinned at the widening of his eyes, but then he regained the small amount of composure that he had and bowed respectively. "Now go- see to it that I have no escaping prisoners. I have a feeling that they might get a little restless by now."

"Yes, my Queen." And then he was off, a quickly as he had come, into the shadows and out of her sight. She turned her attention to Malik once again, and he had not changed his position or expression in the least; he still stood next to her, almost completely unaware of what had occurred around him. _Just as you should be_, she thought maliciously as she brought her fingers up to run through his hair again. But this still didn't dilute the horrible feeling of dread that now consumed her as she realized that her plan had somehow failed.

_Why do I sense you?_ she thought, a hint of nervousness and confusion in her voice. _I still sense that Anzu is within the confines of the shadows, so why are you awake? How have you returned_… _Atemu?_

---

"So you're saying that this 'Samira' is some princess from ancient Egypt that can control all male people and wants to take over the world?" Atemu recited as he sat within a circle of his friends and rivals, all of them standing or sitting around Anzu as she lay within the Pharaoh's arms. Her eyes were closed now, her breathing steady and her body no longer as abnormally cold as it once was, but she was still deep within the recesses of her mind and Atemu had been unable to wake her. Bakura grudgingly told him that she was now fighting off the Shadow Realm, since they had been so close to having her and even Atemu's breaking of the spell Samira had put on her could not stop them when they almost had her in their grasp. It reminded Atemu of when Joey had been knocked out by Marik and had to battle the shadows so that they would not take him into the Shadow Realm; Joey had managed to save himself from the darkness and Atemu had no doubt that Anzu could do the same, now that Samira's spell couldn't bind her from doing so, but he still feared that there might be a chance that she might not be strong enough to fight it off, and she might be lost to him… he couldn't think about that now though. Samira was the bigger threat at the moment, and that was what he had to worry about now.

It was only him, Bakura, Ishizu and Odion in the circle; Atemu sat on the ground, with Anzu's head cradled in his lap, and Bakura sat across him from in their small little assembly, lazily positioned so that his elbows were propped up behind him so that he could lie back against them. The two Egyptians decide to stand instead of sitting on the ground, but it was also to help stand between the two adversaries as Bakura decided to answer Atemu's question.

"Yes, that would be Samira for you" Bakura grumbled in his low hoarse voice. "A witch if there ever was one. Probably has all of Egypt under her command, if I know her well enough." For some reason Atemu could only glare at the tomb robber, if only because that had become a natural reflex of his. Bakura returned the look with an equally-intimidating leer. "What's the matter, Pharaoh? A scarab crawl up your ass while you were sleeping?"

"Silence, Bakura" Atemu hissed, though he didn't know why, since he wasn't harboring any anger against the tomb robber; something just wasn't right about him though. "I don't trust you- you've never been good and I doubt that now would be a time to start. How can I even be sure that you aren't working with Samira, secretly plotting behind our backs?" Bakura only chuckled.

"You might never be sure, and you'll just have to deal with that, if you want my help." He crossed his arms over his head, and smiled teasingly at the Pharaoh, who growled at the snow-haired thief with annoyance.

"I don't need help from a thief like you…" he seethed. He looked at him with crimson eyes full of distrust, and Bakura could only show him his brown eyes, which were still muddled in mystery and deceit. Ishizu could sense the air becoming tense and she tried to interrupt the death glares that they were giving each other, but her voice was only drowned out by theirs.

"A thief like me!" Bakura yelled, getting to his feet quickly as he became offended quite easily by the Pharaoh's remark. "What makes me just some ordinary thief, clustered amongst the others like we are all one entity? Pharaoh, you don't even know me, so don't you dare put me into some group that you can't even understand!"

"I don't care what you are, or anything about you, Bakura! All I care about is my friends, and if you've been here, pretending to be their companion and are actually partners with that power-hungry Samira, then I swear I WILL make sure that you suffer a painful existence in the Shadow Realm-"

"SHUT UP, DAMNIT!" A voice shouted from somewhere in the distance, making everyone stop their arguing to find out where it was coming from. Atemu was surprised to see that Kaiba's head come up from behind a boulder that had blocked him from view as the CEO got to his feet, a bit disorientated at first, but was soon sauntering over to them with a hand to his head. "Why the hell do I feel like someone just slammed me with a bulldozer?" His ice-blue eyes soon locked onto Atemu, and the two stared at each other for a long time before Kaiba finally shook his head in angst.

"Okay, since when has Yugi been back?" he asked annoyed that his head was still throbbing in his hands. Atemu didn't miss a beat as he knew that Kaiba was still unaware that Yugi and he weren't the same being, since he refused to believe the "hocus-pocus magic crap" along with the "disgusting" friendship shit that he complained that they blabbered on at a constant.

"How long has Kaiba been teamed up with you guys?" Atemu asked to the group, obviously confused. Kaiba _hated_ magic and _loathed _him and his friends even more, so how in the name of Ra did he get to working with Ishizu, Odion, Bakura and Anzu? At the mention of her name in his thoughts Atemu unconsciously looked down at the head on his lap, as she still stayed sleeping in the depths of her own shadows. He stroked her hair softly.

"Oh, he joined up with us on the way to Egypt" Bakura said in his nonchalant tone. "He said something about Mokuba being with Samira or what-not- he wants to get him back."

"So we all have something to fight for" Atemu said absently, but then he glared at Bakura again. "Except _you_. What are you fighting against Samira for, since helping my friends meant that you had to bring me back- and frankly, I know you wouldn't even want to _think_ of me, let alone make me flesh again. Spit it out, Bakura… why are you on the good side for once?"

"Oh, for the love of Ra!" Bakura dramatically shouted, rolling his eyes and then narrowing them at Atemu. "Can't I stay anonymous around you fools? Is there not a secret that any of you want to exploit for all its worth?" He turned on his heel, his white locks gliding through the air like wisps of a cloud. He looked back on them with his chocolate eyes, but they showed no emotion within them as he started off out the cave. "Have your fun chatting, waste time with it, I don't give a shit. Just don't drag me into it when I am clearly not welcome. I'll be outside." With that he proudly strolled off into the sun, which was becoming less bright due to the fact that it was way pat noon by now, after the long explanation on Samira that Atemu had to endure. Once he was out of ear-shot, Ishizu turned to look at Atemu, a bit of concern in her sapphire eyes.

"My Pharaoh, this may be out of context but I don't think that you should be so hard on the tomb robber. He has helped us out in many times of peril, and many for those times it was Anzu who he rescued from Samira's grasp- maybe he is trying to work for the light. Maybe we should trust him." Atemu looked at Ishizu with kind eyes that did not hold any of the animosity that they had for Bakura previously.

"I know, Ishizu, but… he's still Bakura the King of Thieves, the reason why any of the darkness came to be and how my fate was so sealed in the puzzle. He's always worked dirty, and has never been near the side of the light for a second of his life- how can I give him my ultimate trust after all of that history?" He sighed. "I still don't think that he has a humble motive, no matter what you say. Bakura will forever be Bakura, and Bakura has always been evil in the flesh. I refuse to tolerate him, but if he decides to remain here, I won't push him out. He can stay."

"Alright, my Pharaoh- if that is what you want" Odion said. Kaiba grunted loudly, which made everyone in the cave turn to look at him.

"Why do you lame-brains still insist on calling Yugi the 'Pharaoh'?" he said nastily, his cobalt eyes questioning them but still demanding his respect and authority. "You and your magic crap makes me sick- now tell me what the hell is going on? The last thing I remember is sitting listening to you losers blabber about nothing, and now I wake up with my head killing me and a whole bunch of others stuff that no one feels the need to tell me about. Mind filling me in already?"

They made their explanation quick, but still no matter how much of the "irrational" information they tried to censor for the CEO he still managed to scoff and ridicule them with every other magical thing they tried to tell him about. When he heard that Samira had been within the cave he became impatient, and soon forced them to stop telling him about what happened to Anzu so that he could find out where Samira was.

"You have no idea where she is!" Kaiba shouted, his eyes wide and filled with rage.

"No, we still don't know where she is located" Ishizu said quietly but still held the strength in her voice. "We have yet to find her headquarters, but we are trying, Kaiba, so if you would just cooperate-"

"You are all incompetent!" He yelled, and then he stormed off to the exit of the cave. Just before he left he stopped, and turned his head to glance at them once more, his cold glare piercing through them as he spoke. "I can't be with you anymore- you're holding me back! I'll find Mokuba myself, and take Samira down with my own hands!" With that, he disappeared into the light of the outside, and the tension that had held them all still for so long dissipated and all three of them released a held-in breath.

"And there goes another one" Ishizu whispered, disappointment in her voice.

"I hope he'll be alright" Atemu added in, his gaze now on the teen still unconscious in his arms, and as he watched her chest rise and fall with her steady breathing, he only hoped that she was fairing better with the darkness in her heart than they were here in reality.

---

_Anzu was pulled from Atemu's sweet embrace and yanked deep from the soft light that she had once reveled in back towards the darkness that she so loathed and despaired against. She watched as the world around her turned to a milky gray, and then a dark mist of shadows, before finally dragging her deep into the heart of the shadows that had once surrounded her before, except last time she was held bound by the icy spell that Samira had cast upon her. Now she had the ability to fight back, but even with this advantage would she still be able to do anything to find her way out of the claws of the Shadow Realm, out of the hands of death itself?_

_She had to try, for Atemu's sake… for everyone's sake._

_The dark tendril continued to pull her down farther and farther, deeper and deeper, until even she didn't know how far they had gone. The blackness felt like it had no end, like they would just fall and fall on for ever and ever without ever reaching a bottom to this pit. Just as she thought that she would scream into the shadows for the end to come, for the floor to be hit, she suddenly felt the grasp of the tentacle release from her ankle, and even in the dark she could see it slither away in the emptiness and leave her to float in the nothing, alone and without guidance._

_There was no movement or interest that came about for several moments, and as Anzu floated there in the dark she realized that she soon had no idea which way was up, or down, or anywhere at all. Her sense of balance and equilibrium became distorted, and she started to feel dizzy at the thought of not knowing where up or down was, or where she should try to go for an escape._

The shadows are just trying to scare me_) she thought blatantly, and soon calmed the panic in her heart. (_If I just stay calm and focus, I can get out of here. But first I have to find my way back to the light_-)_

"_You won't find your way, little Anzu Mazaki" a deep, sinister voice bellowed all around her, and though startled Anzu managed to keep her adrenaline from pumping like crazy, and instead put her energy into trying to locate the source of the voice._

"_Who are you! Where are you!" she shouted, but the voice only laughed at her from the emptiness, chuckling in a baleful manner._

"_You are just a tiny dot amongst all of the shadows here, little Anzu. Do you dare to defy them of what they desire… your very life?"_

"_Yes! Of course I do!" she replied, now angered that it could even ask such a question. "I'm fighting for my friends, and I won't let the darkness take away my soul if it stops me from doing that!" Again the voice cackled wildly, much to Anzu's dislike._

"_Very well, little Anzu, if that is what you wish. You may fight for your existence, but you will lose either way. The darkness that encompasses you now is not just the darkness of the Shadow Realm, but the darkness of your own heart as well. It will fight for your soul, and it will show no mercy to a pathetic little person such as yourself. It will wear you down, tire you out, until you breathe your very last breath- the darkness always wins. Still feel like resisting?" _

_There was no hesitation in Anzu's voice as she declared what she knew all along. "That won't stop me! My friends have always won against the Shadow Realm, and I can do it too! I will make it out of here, and you won't stop me!" She tried to make herself seem brave, but against the large expanse of pure evil that engulfed her form there was much to fear, and still very much to fight; she didn't shake a little at the thought, but she held stern and strong as the voice bellowed again._

"_HAHAHAHAHA! Foolish mortal! Fight all you like- the darkness will claim you eventually!" Suddenly Anzu was no longer floating in the air, and started to fall, falling deeper now into the shadows the she had before. She screamed as wisps of black mist flew past her, the mysterious voice laughed at her despair the sound of it ringing through her ears more than her cries. "There is no escape for a mortal like you! No one makes it out alive when it comes to the Shadow Realm, and you are no exception!" _

_And so she fell into the abyss, farther and farther until her screams were muffled and drowned out by the darkness itself._

---

Author's Note: _Well, that's chappie 43 for you! Hope you liked it, or are now on the edge of your seat cursing at the screen 'cause I decided to leave you here! _

… _I am so evil…_


	44. Infinite Resolve

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Aah, sorry to all of you who await this story's chappies to come quickly- my new story is taking up the rest of my precious time, 'cause I'm alternating between them as of now. So, you'll all just have to wait for a bit since after this I will focus on chappie four of my new story. Sorry! If you're so bored then read my new fic, 'cause that one needs to get as popular as this one so support the new fic PWEASE!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 44: Infinite Resolve…**

Atemu sat against the outer wall of the canyon, a foot or so away from the cave entrance. He had Anzu sleeping in his arms, her chest rising and falling lightly as she internally battled against the shadows for her soul. The warm Egyptian breeze felt comforting as it ruffled Atemu's bangs and his purple-crimson spikes, gracing his bare legs and arms. His dark bronze skin looked very exaggerated against the paleness of Anzu's flesh and the color of the golden sand, but it was necessary for the hot sun glaring down upon them. It must have been mid-afternoon by now, for the ball of light that moved across the cerulean sky was now past the mid-point and was heading for the horizon, not quiet there as of yet but it would be nearing the end in a couple of hours. Clouds drifted unimportantly in the sea of blue above the Pharaoh, as if they didn't have a care in the world for what was occurring below. Atemu sighed as he held Anzu close to him, listening to her breathe, hoping that she might awaken in that moment and that he would hear her say his name, but the air remained silent save the passing of the wind as it sailed through the desert, bring grains of sand along with it.

_What am I going to do? _he thought depressingly, though he knew what had to be down: he had to go out, find Samira, and sent every type of Duel Monster he could of after her in a flood of magic and vengeance. For what she had done to Yugi, Anzu, Joey and Tristan, she deserved no less.

_Was this the evil that I sensed in the afterlife_? He wondered, and then he began to ponder more on the subject. _If it was, then perhaps my father already knew what was going on down here_? _Did he know what was happening, and didn't tell me_? He hoped that his thoughts were not true, but still, they seemed to linger on as there was nothing else for him to pay attention to in the mean time.

He had told Ishizu and Odion that he had needed some fresh air, and he also thought that Anzu might need it too. The other reason he brought out the unconscious teen was because he refused to leave her alone; not for a second would he leave her, afraid that the witch known as Samira would come and try to attack her as a way of pay-back for saving him. He could only hope that wouldn't happen, but if it did he would be ready to fight her by all means necessary.

He knew that he didn't have his Millennium Puzzle as the moment, since Yugi was the present bearer and he would be the one wearing it now. Yugi… the thought of his poor little hikari, his aibou, being under the thumb of an evil princess made his heart throb for the sake of the boy. After all, they had once shared a vessel- how could he not feel pain in knowing that he was working for darkness against his will, and probably locked within his soul room trapped for all eternity. This also angered the Pharaoh, and only provided to further motivate him to want to take action in saving the world, and more importantly his friends, but he had to find them, first- a task that might be difficult seeing as they didn't have a vehicle or any means of locating her whereabouts. She could be anywhere in the world with the magic she used to teleport herself and Malik through the shadows, but Atemu had a hunch that she would be in Egypt since she claimed to be a princess of it once long ago.

_But if she had a spy then that wouldn't be so hard_, thought Atemu as he glanced out of the corner of his amethyst eye at the jeep not so far away. Bakura had situated himself in the jeep, his body slouched in the back seat with his feet dangling over the side door. They lightly swung back and forth, and the tomb robber had been like that since he left the cave because of his quarrel with the Pharaoh. Atemu knew that he had been very harsh with the white-haired thief, and he knew that he had helped to save Anzu and the others many times before, but he still couldn't help but feel bitterness towards the one who constantly tried to kill the same friends he was now helping, who hungered for a power darker than himself so that he could reek havoc upon him and the world for what happened to his village so long ago. Atemu knew that he was trying to be nice- for an odd change- but that only made him more suspicious of the tomb robber's motives, which he was clearly trying to keep a secret from them. What was he hiding that was so secretive that he could not tell them? _It has to be his betrayal_, Atemu thought, _it has to be. What else could he be hiding_?

But thoughts like these were for another time. Now he needed to formulate a plan, if he was going to anything other than sit around all day and hold onto Anzu. He wanted to do that but that was not the point- he also wanted to seek justice for the wrongs committed against his friends, and there was nothing to stop him from doing so. Just a plan, and then he would be off to save the world again, just as he and Yugi and done so many times before….

_If only Yugi were here with me_. Atemu drew a line in the sand with his finger, tracing the symbol of the Millennium Puzzle in the golden dust. _We could come up with a plan very quickly- but he's the one I'm trying to rescue so I'm all alone with this. If only there was some way to contact him_….

Then a realization occurred to Atemu that he hadn't thought of yet- the bond he had with Yugi. They had been together, in the same body, for a long time, or at least long enough for them to grow a connection that they had considered their mind link. Now they were in separate bodies, and Yugi was the mind slave of Samira, but perhaps the same principles could be applied to this predicament. _If I can contact Yugi's conscious, then maybe I can undo the control Samira has on him and have him help gat into her secret lair_, Atemu thought, his mind now racing with the possibility of it. It was just an idea, but it was at least something for him to work on and if it didn't work then he could always think of something else.

For a second he thought he felt Anzu stir a little in his arms, but when he looked down she was still in her coma, her eyes closed and her lips pursed just slightly, like she had might have moved, but, Atemu knew better. Her soul was in the Shadow Realm now, fighting to get back here in the real world, in his world… he could only hope that she succeeded.

_I know you can do this, Anzu_. With that he pushed the pain he felt for her suffering out his mind the best he could, as he concentrated with all his might on the task at hand: trying to mind link with his former light.

It wasn't hard for Atemu at first, seeing as he could feel his connection with Yugi even though they were so very far away from each other and Yugi wasn't in the best "talking" mood. It was faint, just a delicate string of magic, but it still held strong even after their minds had separated. Atemu smirked to himself as he closed his eyes, remembering all the good times he had with Yugi, all the great duels and adventures, before engaging all his thought-power and spirit into breaking through the invisible barrier that kept them separated.

"_Yugi_?" he asked, his mind searching as it lay in the darkness of his conscious, probing for the end of the string, looking for where it ended and lead to Yugi. There was an endless void as he scanned about, looking and wondering. Normally, if they had been in the same body, Yugi would instantly hear Atemu call for his soul to emerge and he would, seeing as they didn't have a damaged relationship like some of the other yamis and hikaris did. But since they did not share a vessel, Atemu had to call out for Yugi's soul, hoping that he would hear him, wherever he was. No one was answering, and Atemu could not sense his presence no matter how loud he yelled.

_Please, aibou_, he whispered, _please hear me_….

---

Samira sat on her throne again, her body perched perfectly in the oversized seat as though she was a goddess. She was in her palace, if that counted for anything; at the moment all her servants were at her beck and call as they flocked in like ravens in the night, each giving her reports of the current status of her present domination.

She still sat in the darkness, the shadows veiling her form as her slaves spoke to her meekly, their voices hushed but loud enough for her to hear them speak. She liked seeing the fear in the free-willed servants that she had, though they were of a small number in comparison to her entire staff of mind slaves. She did need a few free-thinkers, however, if she was going to ever spread her power over the continents to places like the Americas and Europe. Africa was almost hers as it was, and Japan would be claimed after that. So far the resistance that the humans led was futile against her intimidating army of puppets, moving and killing ultimately at her will. She sometimes led it, recruiting any survivors so that her fighting force would grow, and with each city conquered her reign became more definite. She had taken them by surprise and she had them on the run- not even their new technology could stop her, since she could easily use Shadow Magic to either blast it to microscopic pieces or control the men using it so that they fired on their own instead… oh how she loved the chaos that had ensued.

What she loved even more was the fact that she had acquired the hikari of the great Pharaoh, and he was now her puppet for as long as she desired. At the moment he stood beside her throne, her hand sometimes reaching over to stroke through his silky hair or touch his face. He did not flinch or move to protest, seeing as how he did not have a mind of his own. _A spitting image of his yami_, she thought as she once again let her hand trace the sweet porcelain skin of her servant, as she looked into his mesmerized amethyst eyes that were one of the few clues that he was hers and that he was once belonging to Atemu. He was an empty shell that was bent to her will, and at the moment her will was to be nothing at all, just the statue that he truly was inside. Since she had had him for a long period of time her grip on him had strengthened, so now she was deep within his mind and had him under her belt, so to speak. Just like his friends, but she hadn't been with them all that often, instead using them for other purposes such as attacking a city or keeping an eye on the prisoners- usually females that could not be disposed of at the moment or recently found men who had yet to become her obedient slaves. At the moment, Yugi was her trophy, and she was sure to treasure his appearance as it almost meant that she coveted what the Pharaoh held dear.

Now if she only had Anzu… then she would have everything that he ever held dear.

Atemu… she thought she had felt his presence earlier in the hour, but that could have just been some nerves of hers making their presence known. After all, she had disposed of Anzu, and even as she thought about the little brunette she could feel her soul sink into the Shadow Realm like a stone does in a pool of water. There was no way in the world that he could be revived now, which would allow her to continue on with her original plans-

She felt the shudder go up her spine again. _That feeling_! She thought distastefully as she tried to pay attention to what one of her messengers was trying to tell her. She simply could not focus, but she could easily hide that as she pushed the thought in the back of her mind to address her charges.

"Off with you, all of you!" she barked, and her servants, though surprised, did as they were told and began to melt away into the shadows that so engulfed the room. "I will speak to you all later, but for now I command you to leave." The room was silent in a matter of seconds, and Samira arose from her throne with a single sound from her body, and even her shadow-colored dress failed to make a sound as it swished with its master's movements. She walked over a few steps to Yugi, who did not react as his mistress faced him directly; he stood with his eyes empty and his face expressionless in her presence. There was almost no color to his him, as he was mostly in shades of grey and white in the presence of the darkness and there was no real light in the room to dispel it otherwise, and because of his size Samira had to bent down a little to look deeply into her servants eyes.

_Hmm_... _I don't sense his spirit resisting my control_, she thought to herself, but she could sense that something wasn't right about him that bothered her. She stood up straight, and then placed her pointer finger to his forehead where the symbol of the Millennium Eye glowed a faint blue on his skin. With a bit of her magic focused at that point she entered his mind, her domain, just to make sure that there was nothing happening to her slave that would interfere with her current plans….

---

"_Yugi? Yugi, answer me!_" Atemu yelled, hoping that there was some sort of connection that would draw out Yugi's conscious at some point. He had been trying to reach his hikari for a good couple of minutes, but to no avail for either they were too set apart to be able to speak telepathically or Yugi was too deep in Samira's control for there to be a part of him for Atemu to find. Atemu was hoping that it was neither, concerned and praying that he would locate his aibou soon, as he knew he could not hold this concentration for much longer.

The he noticed a light in the distance of his range- it was just barely a flicker in his thoughts but he recognized it nonetheless.

"_Yugi's spirit_…." Atemu focused on the light, trying to reach it, trying to contact it with his mind. It didn't make any responses to him, and that made Atemu worry even more. "_Yugi? Is that you_?" He opened up his mind as he entered the mind of whatever the light represented, and he only hoped that Yugi's spirit form would be waiting for him on the other side….

But it wasn't. Atemu mind was suddenly surging with images, with thoughts and feelings that he knew could only be from his hikari. He could hear Yugi's voice calling out to him from all around, but it was gurgled and disrupted as though it was being forcefully silenced, to Atemu's agony. The images that were displayed to him were ones in Yugi's sub-conscious, the part of his mind that retained most of his thoughts from Samira. They were mixed, disturbed images, and as Atemu attempted to reach Yugi he found that he was unable to; Yugi was not within his range, so he must have been too far within Samira's hold to recognize Atemu and try to break free. Atemu struggled to push his way into Yugi's mind, but there was something blocking him from doing so. He felt the darkness that was holding him back from getting through to his aibou.

"_Yugi!_" he shouted, but Yugi did not hear him; suddenly Atemu was standing before a ghostly form of Yugi, though it was surrounded by shadowy tendrils and a woman stood nearby. She embraced Yugi, her arms holding him tightly as she whispered in his ear. The woman had no features, as she was a figure of the shadows, and when her sullen eyes made of pitch blackness looked upon the Pharaoh she hissed and put a hand up to dismiss him. A wave of power hit Atemu in the stomach, sending him reeling, and as he tried to delve deeper into Yugi's mind through the mind link, he was abruptly cut off from it and sent back into his own mind with a shock, causing the Pharaoh to open him eyes instantly and gasp. He hadn't been expecting Yugi's mind to be so oppressed and fuzzy, but he assumed that Samira was controlling him more than he thought.

For the most part Atemu had been unable to find anything resembling a whole thought in his hikari's sub-conscious, which is where all the images had come from. Yugi's conscious was blank and completely engulfed in nothing, thanks to Samira, but his sub-conscious had yet to be penetrated by her magic. However, from what Atemu could see she was trying, and her efforts were succeeding greatly. Atemu clenched his fist in anger, and he regretted not being more prepared for the encounter with what he assumed was a representation of Samira in Yugi's mind. All seemed at a loss for his attempts, but then he remembered one image that he had seen in Yugi's mind; it was that of the desert, and through Yugi's memory he could see the canyon that he was presently at, and then it showed them traveling through the desert, until they finally reached what appeared to be some sort of palace that Atemu could only assume belonged to Samira.

He now had something; it was small, but this vision from Yugi would help in directing him to where Samira was located, and hopefully, to where Yugi and the others were as well. He was about to stand up, but then remembered that Anzu was in his arms and he ceased his movement, instead taking a moment to look at her as she breathed, slowly but surely. But despite how much he tried to pull his thoughts from it, all he could think about was Yugi, and how he must be under the thumb of that control-freak princess.

_Argh… I will rescue you, Yugi. I'll make sure of that_.

---

"GAH!" Samira pulled out of Yugi's mind as soon as she saw him: Atemu, the Pharaoh, in the mind of Yugi trying to get his hikari to respond. She had been trying to coax Yugi into revealing any resistance to her, but she was finding none while she was there. Now she knew what the tingles and cold chills she had been feeling were from: somehow Atemu had come back from the dead, and was already planning to find his way to her palace. She had managed to banish Atemu from Yugi's mind but already the Pharaoh's presence had an affect on her young slave. Some of the life had returned to his eyes, a bit of the glow had come back to his dull purple orbs, and now he slightly moved on his own, though it wasn't much more than his hand twitching or his eyes blinking.

"A… Atemu…" the teen muttered softly, his voice not much more than a gentle expulsion of breath. Samira heard this though, and before her servant could regain any of his mind from her control her left hand flew up so that the palm faced him, and the Millennium Symbol pulsed a sapphire color from her skin. Yugi's mind became dormant again as the light left his eyes and the similar insignia glowed brilliantly on his forehead, hidden by his bangs. His hands fell back to his side like they were useless twigs, and Samira smirked as she let her fingers trace his porcelain face. He didn't move away, assuring the princess that she had a foot hold in him once more.

_But_… the fact that Yugi had been freed, even for a moment, only made the Egyptian nervous. If Atemu was back in the living realm, the he would surely be after her sooner or later, and there was no telling what kind of information he had gotten from Yugi's inner soul. Still, she wasn't too worried… now all she had to do was put plan B into effect, as that was what she had to do now that the Pharaoh had returned for vengeance.

"Well little Yugi, it looks like we'll have to speed up your 'transformation', now isn't that right?" Samira placed a hand on the teen's shoulder, and then used her magic to teleport them to another room, where she could do what now had to be done. Atemu may have been back, but Samira had been ready for that option just in case; after all, this was the Pharaoh, and fate had a tendency to make sure he came to the rescue of the so-called innocent. She was even excited that she would get to see him again- it had been a long time, since the last time they spoke to each other, fact to face.

_I guess I'll have to send him some transportation, so that he can come visit my palace_. She used her magic to conjure a messenger from the Shadow Realm- one that, as soon as it was summoned, started flying over the desert, towards the canyon that her enemies were camped at. With that, she cackled aloud, before vanishing into the nothing that was the shadows with her precious Yugi in tow.

---

Author's Note: _And I end it at that. Yeah, I know… kind of a confusing chappie (I was getting confused just typing it) but I hope it does satisfy you all anyway! See ya soon!_


	45. Dark Illusions

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Oh, thanks to all who have reviewed me so far… my, what a journey this has become over the last three months! I feel like I'm giving a speech at the Academy Awards or something like that… yeah, I wish… but anywho, I'll just get started with this and not keep you waiting any longer! Have fun with this chappie, 'kay?_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 45: Dark Illusions….**

Kaiba trudged through the sand, cursing to the wind as his feet barely lifted out of the plush sand that his legs sank into effortlessly. The sun was in the distance, bearing over him in a teasing manner, haunting him with its eerie light and undeniable heat. He was sweating profoundly, his purple trench coat and black jumpsuit smothering him to the point that he wanted to remove them both, or at least to a point but forced himself not to. After all, he was the GREAT Seto Kaiba, a man who would not let a little heat or dry air get the best of him in any which way.

But his anger and desire to rescue his younger brother had, back when he was in the cave with the geek squad. He had only wanted one piece of information, one tiny morsel of thought from them, and the losers were too stupid to even give him that.

He was already ticked off at the multiple times that he had been brushed off, knocked out, or just plain insulted- courtesy of Ryou, as always, though he was still unsure of why the normally quiet, shy teen that he knew at school was acting so arrogant that it even rivaled his own personality. It could have been from the pendant that he wore around his neck, the Millennium Ring….

_NO! _Kaiba yelled to himself, shaking his head defiantly. _There is no such thing as magic, therefore there is no such thing as ancient spirits possessing people through jewelry! It just isn't reality! When will those dweebs learn that?_ Kaiba continued to climb up another sand dune, the ends of his trench coat dragging in the sand behind him. He shouldn't have left the cave, he should have stayed where there was shelter and food… NO! He was Seto Kaiba, the great CEO, the legendary duelist prodigy, and he was not going to go back to the nerds and beg for forgiveness. He could still see the canyon, standing tall and opposing at his back, and if he turned around he could walk to it; however, he would not show that he was wrong, that he had made a mistake to Yugi and the others. He would find Samira, or at least civilization, in this God-forsaken desert, and then get a chopper to pick him up and take him back to KaibaCorp. headquarters. From there, he would use his technology to find that witch and tear her down, piece by tiny piece, until he got his brother back.

That is, if he ever found anything besides sand in this over-sized sandbox.

_Well, at least I'm not with those geeks anymore_, Kaiba thought to himself, pleased that he had finally given the outburst that they so rightfully deserved from him. He had every right to finally demoralize them so blatantly; Yugi was wearing some sort of Egyptian costume, if that wasn't enough to make the CEO re-think Yugi's intelligence level. Why did they believe in that cult-ish Pharaonic crap that had no basis in reality and only proved to make them all into worse losers than they already were? He shook his head, wishing he could stop thinking about that, even if the thoughts were insulting and degrading. Right now, he needed to conserve his strength, if he was going to last through this desert and find some kind of service on his cell phone. That is, if he didn't die from lack of thirst… yes, now he was regretting leaving the camp. But that still didn't mean he was going back.

He did consider returning to the canyon when he noticed something flying through the air towards him. It was soaring on black wings, actually airborne above the swirling sand.

_Great_... _I'm already hallucinating_, Kaiba thought to himself as he watched the creature draw closer to him with each passing second, its ebony wings flapping gracefully and sending clouds of sand up in its wake. When Kaiba finally realized that he was in the direct path of the being his ice-blue eyes grew wide, and he leapt out of the way as it went streaming past him and continued on its way, towards the canyon.

_Grr_… _what was that_? Kaiba struggled up to his feet, dusting the sand from his clothes and staring at the black mass that now headed for where Yugi and the others were. His curiosity was a bit fired up now, but it still wasn't enough to change his mind; quickly, before he could be attempted to about-face, he started off on his way again, trying desperately to ignore the desire for water that swelled within him and the wondering he had for what lay in store for Yugi and the rest of the geek squad.

---

_Anzu couldn't scream anymore; the more she tried to scream the more she wished that this ride would end. She was still falling, falling into the abyss, which seemed to have no-end for her in the least. She could no longer hear the antagonizing cackle of the mysterious voice in her ears, where only the light ringing of silence now stood, and she had top stretch her eyelids open to make sure that she was still staring out at the shadows and didn't accidentally have her eyes closed. She could still feel her chestnut hair swirl above her head, and the air whip past her as she fell, but other than that there was nothing to think about, nothing to do_…_ the falling had actually become boring, so instead of screaming in fear, she started to yell out in annoyance._

"_When does this thing end!" she shouted, but only heard her own voice echo into the nothing. (This is how the darkness wins, isn't it? By driving you insane) she thought pitifully, but as she did so it suddenly felt like she was falling faster, like some unknown force was now pulling on her and digging her deeper into this pit than she already was. Then she felt like she was swirling about, as though sucked into a vacuum with no hopes of escaping; she tried to scream now but couldn't hear herself speak. It was as though there was no sound here as she spiraled out of control- she was blind, deaf and mute in an absence of existence, in the abandonment of all life._

_Was this where she would be lead into defeat? Spinning around and around in a vortex of darkness until she finally surrendered her soul? She didn't want to die like this, she didn't want to leave her friends in the clutches of Samira, and let Atemu suffer over that for as long as he was alive. But what else was there, what else could she do? She was trapped, and there was no way out- she was fighting an enemy who she couldn't even see or sense. She wanted to give up, but her heart refused such an offer. She sat spinning and twisting and thinking that at some point her bones would be turned in the wrong direction, or she would vomit from the dizziness, but then it all stopped, and she wasn't spiraling anymore. _

_(What…what happened?) She was still in the darkness, but the whirlwind had ceased. Her head was still reeling from the wooziness of the event, but at least it sopped, even if her stomach didn't think it had. There was sound now too, but it was muffled and Anzu couldn't place it at all. She was laying down on a soft surface, that felt all too familiar to her but she wouldn't believe it if it was true. She had warm blankets on her body, and then she thought she could hear something in the distance, getting louder and louder until she could finally recognize the noise-_

_My alarm clock_? Anzu thought, finding it odd that that was there in the Shadow Realm. She was about to try and get up off the ground or surface that her body was on, until she then discovered that her eyes… they were closed.

_What? I never closed my eyes_…. But apparently she had, for her eyelids were over them- she must not have realized the difference since she had been in the vortex of darkness for so long. Cautiously she let them flutter open, expecting to see the purple and black mist of the shadows or something along that accord, but what met her vision was far from that image completely. Her cerulean orbs blinked repeatedly.

_Wait, I'm in my bedroom_! Sure enough she was, and Anzu's mouth gaped open. She was in her bed, in her pajamas, nestled under the covers like she had just been sleeping not too long ago. There were her four walls, with the posters and picture frames that she had personally placed on, and across from her vision was her bedroom window where the sun's rays leaked through closed shades. There was her desk, her closet, her doorway to the hall of her house- this was _her_ room, and she was back from the Shadow Realm. _How_... _what just happened_? She got out from under the covers, slowly and as if testing the waters with much fear that she would be in darkness again if she made a wrong move. Her feet touched down on the plush carpet as her legs swung over the side of her bed, and Anzu finally found the source of the annoying noise to be her alarm clock on her bedside table, the red numbers telling her that it was close to seven- close to school time.

_I'm gonna be late for school! _Anzu thought, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest, but then she calmed her panic as she thought, _Wait, why am I worrying about that_? _Wasn't I just about to be devoured by the darkness_? It was all so puzzling: first she was in the blackness, being tossed around like a salad and thinking that there would be no end to the torture, and now she was home, in her bedroom, getting up for school. There was a definite line of paranormal phenomena occurring here, but now Anzu was just plain confused. How was she back in her home, in her bed no less, as though just arising from a dream of hers?

Perhaps it had all been a dream; maybe this whole Samira-taking-over-the-world stuff had all been some odd nightmare she had conjured up on her own. That didn't explain how she was able to have dreams in her dreams, when she remembered that she had slept two days in that dream, but it would clear up some of the illogical stuff, like Bakura being on the good side and the guys being under mind control. When she put it that way, Anzu almost chuckled- yes, of course it had to have been a nightmare, what other explanation was there for her? She must have been upset over Atemu's leaving last night and ended up having a terrible nightmare from the stress; that would be reasonable, other wise why would she be in her room right now, getting up from sleep and starting a new school day? It all made sense to her, to some level.

_Yeah, that was all a dream_, she thought, yet for some reason she was still unsure. It had felt so real, like she had really been there; there were so many feelings that she had, and lack thereof at some points. She had experienced Bakura's kiss, Atemu's love, the tragedy for her best friend Yugi… had all that been fake, a virtual reality within her thoughts? The thrill, the excitement, the sadness, the uncertainty… was that all an illusion? How could such real thoughts, actions, and emotions be so false, and yet that was the undeniable truth that lay before her. She wanted to ponder this more, but a voice called from downstairs.

"Anzu dear! You're gonna be late for school!" her mother called. "And that nice boy Yugi is waiting outside for you- I doubt you want to make him late too?" Anzu's eyes suddenly opened wide, and she jolted from her sitting position on the edge of her bed to peer out her window. She pushed the shades aside to reveal Yugi, his tri-colored hair giving his identity away clearly, as he stood on the sidewalk outside her house. Anzu gasped in surprise and relief.

_Oh Yugi! You are okay_! So it had been all a nightmare, with Yugi being taken away by a cruel and malicious princess, since there was the undeniable truth. She felt a smile grow on her face, as she now rushed about her room joyfully to get ready for a nice, normal day. Or at least, what she could assume was a normal day- anything was possible if you were friends with the King of Games. She buttoned up her white uniform shirt, and put on her pink blazer as she grabbed her blue uniform skirt. She was pulling on her knee socks and brown shoes when her mother called yet again.

"Anzu, are you even up yet? Sweetie, get ready!"

"I'm up, Mom! Don't worry about me!" She folded up her homework papers that were on her desk, though she didn't remember doing that homework last night. Strange… but then again that could just be that she was still tired and her head was still on that odd dream. She looked for her briefcase, and once she had the homework in that she hurried to the bathroom to fix up her unruly chestnut hair. A couple brushes with the comb made it tangle-free, but just as she was finishing up she realized that she had done this already, like she was re-living the moment… then she remembered her dream and she sighed.

_Silly me_, _I did this in my dream. Must be too much of a habit_. With a few last strokes of the comb along with having other things down in a hustle, Anzu was finally charging down the stairs and stormed out of the kitchen, heading for the front door.

Her mother watched her, puzzled. "Dear, don't you want some breakfast? I made you eggs and sausage!" But her cries were in vain as Anzu had already slipped out of the house, with a "Bye Mom!" that was barely audible as she slammed the door behind her.

Anzu relaxed as she saw Yugi before her, yet the reality of it still wasn't in her grasp. She was still in disbelief that Yugi was actually standing in front of her, truing around so that he could smile at her the way he always did in the morning. She knew that the whole Samira thing had been a dream, but still… why did she feel like something was off?

"Morning Anzu!" Yugi said cheerfully, the rays of sunlight behind him not nearly as warm as his manner towards his friend. Anzu feigned a grin back.

"Good morning to you too, Yugi" she said kindly. They were instantly heading for school, walking quietly next to each other. Anzu wanted to say things to him, to ask him if he had a dream that was almost has strange as hers had been, and yet she couldn't bring herself to do it. _That would be silly_, she thought. _He would only tell me that I miss Atemu too much. That would be it_. And yet, Yugi wasn't saying much either. He just sort of stayed beside her, trotting along as though he hadn't a care in the world. This bothered Anzu, because usually Yugi was quite the chatterbox in the morning, but then again… maybe Anzu was just worrying too much.

---

They had reached Domino High School just before the bell rang, so they had little time to get their books and head for class. While Anzu rushed to get her things and be on time for class Yugi just seemed to mosey along like he was there a half-hour early. Anzu frowned slightly at the thought.

_What's with him_? _Why isn't he acting right_? Anzu was about to question him on it, but then decided not to. _It's probably just me again. _She made it into class with just seconds to spare, and class started without hesitation. She sat in her usual spot, near her three friends Yugi, Joey, and Tristan, and as class proceeded she thought it odd that she wasn't hearing the normal rambling and noise that she typically heard coming from the trio. She wheeled her head around slightly to see that they were actually paying attention in class, actually _listening_ to the teacher talk about Algebra and whatever else he was attempting to teach. Anzu's mouth hung open in a bit of shock.

"Miss Mazaki, is there something the matter?" said the male teacher, and the room became silent. Anzu forgot that she was supposed to be paying attention in class, which she did unlike her friends, who were now acting like good students for once. She twisted her head back around to look at Mr. Mizumoto, her math teacher so that she could try to explain herself. What she saw before her made her almost scream.

The man that was supposed to be her teacher had been replaced with a shadowy figure, who had blood dripping from his mouth and his empty eye sockets. His right arm was disfigured and was crumbled up next to his wobbling form, and he was leaning over on that arm as though he was crippled in his legs. He had straggly red hair that was filthy and was in mangled strands that surrounded his face, and with that he had black ooze come out the spot where his nose should be. He moaned like a zombie does in an old horror movie, and just as Anzu was about to start screaming for dear life, she blinked and that image was gone, and Mr. Mizumoto was standing in its place, looking at her with narrowed, beady eyes. Anzu let out the breath that she had been holding in a long sigh.

"Well, Miss Mazaki? What is it? Are you ill?" The teacher noticed the sudden paleness of the girl's skin, and the fear in her eyes as they seemed to glaze over just by looking at him. Anzu could feel her heart pound wildly in her chest, and her breaths coming in and out in short, exaggerated gasps.

_What_..._ what was that_? she thought, now scared as to why she just saw something so hideous in the classroom, in the real world. It had been so ugly and disgusting, so frightening and vomit-inducing, like she had just become the main character in some random horror movie. Maybe she was too stressed? Maybe the dream was still in her head?

"Um… sir, can I… please go to the nurse's office?" she mumbled, as she tried to speak past the obvious dread that ensnared her. Mr. Mizumoto only nodded solemnly and Anzu got out of her seat shakily, afraid to look at the teacher again in fear that she would see that horrible image again. She gently opened the door to the classroom, and exited out as quickly as she could.

She ran… she wasn't sure why she ran. All Anzu knew was that something was up and she couldn't put her finger on it. Why did she see that thing in class? Was she hallucinating, or was there something behind it? Anzu didn't head for the infirmary, instead sneaking out of the school through some back doors and running, just running down the streets of Domino as though she could escape the fear inside her. The cool wind of autumn brushed up against her bare legs as she trudged along past the intersections, narrowly avoiding passing cars as they honked at her. She knew her fear was unnecessary but what else could she do when she felt such undeniable horror taking place inside of her?

Anzu wanted to head home but then decided against it. For some reason home did not seem like a good place to go to right now. She thought about heading for the Kame Game Shop, but then again, what if she saw the same thing again. As she ran she wondered what had made her so paranoid all of a sudden, and at that thought she slowed to a slight stop on the sidewalk.

_This is stupid! Why am I panicking like this_? She shook her head, her brown locks flailing around her face. She should just head back to school, apologize for her absence, and then tell Yugi and the others about what she saw. She still didn't know why, but there was a knot in her stomach when she thought about Yugi, and his odd quietness towards her, like he knew something that she didn't. Why did she feel so afraid today? Was it that dream that was putting her on such an edge? That would be dumb- after all, she shouldn't let a dream that was completely fictional get her all ruffled up over nothing; she was probably just tired, and that was why she was having crazy dream and terrible delusions.

_I'll just go back to school now_. Anzu turned around to head back the way she came, but just as she did so she felt a presence manifest in the direction she was turning to. Her eyes caught sight of Yugi, as he was directly behind her as though he had followed her here. Anzu jumped in surprise, but relaxed when she saw who it was.

"Yugi, you scared me for a second!" she exclaimed, and she was about to hug him out of relief until she saw something in his normally kind amethyst eyes: a hint of malevolence. He was watching her, silent, with a slight grin on his porcelain face and a gleam in his eyes that reminded Anzu of Bakura. Instead of jumping to him she took a step back, and Yugi in turn started to approach her.

"You shouldn't be afraid, Anzu" he whispered as he drew near her. "Everything's going to be alright. Just come back to school with me." He held out a pale hand towards her, and Anzu became nervous. Why was Yugi acting this way to her? He was being all… mysterious and indifferent all of a sudden, and Anzu wasn't at all appealed by this change. This was her friends, so she did trust him… but what was this odd look in his eye? She was about to take his hand when her vision of Yugi abruptly changed, switching over to that of an evil creature with venomous fangs and huge red eyes. He was drooling back ooze from his dementedly-shaped mouth, but he was grinning manically all that same. Anzu screamed and pulled her hand away.

"_Come on, Anzu! Why are you so afraid? It's just me, Yugi" _the monster hissed in a scratchy voice that wasn't even human. He reached for her with clawed hands, but Anzu was already running from him, as fast as her legs could carry her. The wind whipped her hair behind her violently.

_What was that! What happened to Yugi! This has to be a dream, this has to be a dream! _she shouted in her head, her eyes stinging from the cold wind as it stung her face. She was running anywhere now, and she wasn't looking where she was going. She didn't care, as long as she got away from that monster. She thought she could hear Yugi's sinister cackling from all around her, but she didn't spend a moment looking for it. She just kept running, hoping to escape, hoping for what she knew might not come. _Is this real! Why am I seeing these things!_

"The answer should be simple, my dear" a deep, baleful voice said from nearby. Anzu stopped, wondering who had just said that, and why for some reason the voice had sounded so familiar.

"Who are you!" she shouted, but no one answered. "Where are you!"

"Right here" said the voice, and as Anzu realized that it was coming from the alleyway to her right, she turned until she was face-to-face with the one person whom she felt instant fear from, and made her knees go weak the moment she saw him. He was one of the few people that even she knew was pure evil, and there was no light within someone as disturbed and shadow-filled as him. She wanted to shriek but her voice was caught in her throat, as the person chuckled loudly at the fear he induced in her. He glared at her with lavender eyes.

"Welcome to the Shadow Realm, Anzu!" Yami Marik said.

---

Author's Note:_ Dum, dum, dum! And so another plot twist of this amazing tale has been revealed. Did I have any of you fooled for a bit there with the real-world stuff, or what? Anyway, please enjoy knowing now that this story is still going and I won't be ending it for a while! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! _

….

_Okay, I'm done._


	46. The Heart of Evil

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Aaw! I am so sorry for not updating in like a week! I beg for your ultimate forgiveness! (Bows head continuously) Please forgive my lateness in getting this typed! _

_Oh, there is much to tell you, my readers! Just so that you are aware, I will not be updating between April 6th and April 16th, because I will be away on a cruise… sorry guys! During that time, do not expect any updates- but of course I will return to make sure that the story continues._

_Anywho, thanks for reviewing me- I love you all, you're so awesome and nice to me! And for 45 chapters too! (Hugs reviewers) Oh, and to all of those people who have me on your favorites list, but you STILL haven't reviewed me, get on it already! No sense in me knowing you're out there but you don't wanna shout to me- I wanna hear your voices, people! Now, read this and review me, damnit! _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 46: The Heart of Evil….**

The sun was still overhead, just barely staying above the horizon; its destination was the definite line created by the land, but though the ball of light was hours from touching the line you could see the time of twilight drawing near. The sky was already showing hints of sunset colors that shimmered around the edges of terrain to the heavens, and clouds were now turning dark against the pastel canvas. The wind from noon time was dying down to a soft breeze, only kicking up the sand when it became a tiny unexpected gust, and the sand looked like dark bronze dust under the luminosity of the orange sphere. All was silent, save the flapping of obsidian wings, and the swift flight of a shadow-clad demon….

---

Atemu still sat, watching the passing of the clouds as they journeyed across the pastel blue sky. His amethyst eyes spoke of a plan, of his plan, to travel to Samira's palace and finally rescue his friends from her clutches. He now knew of her whereabouts through his brief mind link with his hikari, Yugi, and though short it showed him the exact location of the princess's palace, for which his companions were trapped within. He hadn't a single moment to spare- every second that passed without him in action Samira was building her army and creating a new world … one that might be the end of mankind. So, it was his duty, his destiny, to stop her madness and liberate all the people that she had enslaved.

Or at least, that was his plan- it was just putting it in action that might cause a hold-up. Atemu was still sitting on the sand, his back against the outer wall of the canyon, and in his lap laid the vessel of Anzu as she continued to fight the shadows for her life. He had been in deep thought for a short while, and though he had finally decided that he should, by any means possible head for this palace of Samira's, he had no real transportation to get him there in time. Furthermore, he could not really move- not really, since he was sure that Bakura would see him get up if he did.

He was still unsure if he could trust the King Thief, who remained lying in the jeep not too far away. His feet were visible as they were laid over the side door, so that the rest of his body was stationed on the cushioned back seat- Atemu could not see anything else but his feet, and they had been in that position for as long as Atemu had been sitting there. They swung about lazily but that was all the movement the Pharaoh ever saw out of him.

_Should I trust him_? He asked himself, but it was useless as Atemu still felt such distain towards the tomb robber that he simply could not bring himself to belief in him. Perhaps he was good, and was actually fighting for the side of light instead of usually being the darkness itself, but… what was the possibility of that ever being true? Atemu knew Bakura, he had known him since the ancient days of his Egyptian reign, and for all the years he had been his arch-nemesis had been alive he had known him to be a conniving, evil, ruthless, and merciless killer who had not a heart beat in his chest or a soul in his heart. Time and time again he had proven his loyalties to the shadows, and what could Atemu assume now, with this new threat drawing near? He had not the same kind of forgiving soul as Yugi or his friends possessed, so he found that it wasn't very easy for the pit in his stomach to be removed when he glanced at Bakura's shoes. For all he knew the thief could be telepathically speaking to his princess at this very moment, telling her of their situation and the next plan of attack… Atemu growled at the thought.

But that was all besides the point- his main concern was actually finding a way to get to the palace of the infamous princess Samira. If there was a will there was a way, and if Atemu had anymore will than he did it already it would flame from his eyes and shudder through his skin. The determination was valiantly commanding him onward, so despite his doubts or set-backs he knew that this might be his only chance to save his friends before it is too late to find them ever again. He remembered Yugi, and his imprisonment in his own mind, and the Pharaoh's fists clenched viciously at the anger he felt against the so-called princess. He had no time to think about that- as soon as possible, he had to make his leave towards the bastion if he wanted to make it there before the rise of the sun tomorrow- he wanted to be there as soon as his feet could carry him there, if that would be probable in this desert at night.

Carefully Atemu lifted Anzu's frail form from his lap, and set her down in the sand near him. She did not stir, or make any motion that she was conscious, but Atemu still hoped that one of these moments it would happen, that her azure eyes would open and look at him. But, they did not- he could only pray that he would get to see those eyes once his battle was finished and he proved to be the victor. She sighed slightly, but the escape of breath was nothing new and only confirmed that she did not currently exist.

With a sad but fiery heart the Pharaoh arose from the sand, dusting it off from his white tunic with the purple sash that hung from his torso along with the golden bands around his waist. His amethyst cloak billowed in the slight breeze of his desert home, making a light flapping noise as the cloth fluttered in and out like a wave of violet against the golden landscape. His hair was ruffled by the breeze as well, as his blonde bangs wavered and his black and purple spikes flowed gently with the motion of the air. It caressed his bronze face, and cooled the hot skin from the sun's harsh rays, but it did little to quell the blaze that could be seen in his amethyst eyes. He was ready- he would have to be, if he was about to encounter a dangerous woman with powers like the Millennium Rod. She was his target, and by the power of the Gods he would tear her down, limb by limb, until he was sure of the world's safety again.

Now came the next problem- leaving without Ishizu and Odion knowing he had gone. He didn't want them to tag along, when the mission he was about to undertake would be dangerous and would only put them in harm's way. Plus, he needed someone to watch over Anzu for him while she silently battled the Shadow Realm in her mind. The last thing he needed was to know that she was within the "capable" hands of the tomb robber alone, for which the pit in his stomach only grew in fury at the idea.

He wanted support, and granted the help of the two tomb keepers would be greatly appreciated, but then again his worry for their safety and the fact that Odion could be vulnerable to Samira's powers, and without the Millennium Necklace Ishizu was too weak to pose any resistance to the witch's forces. He wanted to do this alone, he wanted to be assured that this battle ended before any of his companions fell into further harm than what had already been accomplished in his absence. Therefore, he needed to get to the palace, send Samira to the Shadow Realm, and all before Samira can even retaliate and send her troops out to injure his friends. It couldn't be all that hard- after all he had faced many opponents who would probably prove to be much greater adversaries than she, so what did he have to fear? This was in the bag for him- all he needed to do was get there….

Finally he broke down; maybe it was better to let the tomb keepers in on his plans before he made a break for it, since they knew the modern Egyptian desert far better than he did at the moment. And they would worry, and probably follow him if he didn't command them to do otherwise… could he risk that from them when they were clearly not ready for even the slightest showdown?

Atemu sighed, his mind now reeling with all of these questionable actions and considering arguments, so much so that he barely noticed the small black dot that was growing closer to the canyon every second. Its colorless wings beat through the arid desert air, sending clouds of golden dust in its wake; Atemu was just about to head into the cavern's entrance when he noticed the approaching creature out of the corner of his amethyst eyes. He stopped in mid-step, and then turned so that he could face whatever foul demon that dared to draw near to him and his companions. It was slowly becoming larger in his view, and the Pharaoh scrunched his face in an angry notion.

_What is that thing?_ he asked himself as he watched it fly through the air, just above the sand dunes like a magnificent bird in flight. It was closer now, and because of that Atemu could see how its body was black- black like the moonless night sky, and was covered with what could be described as feathers, except they almost appeared scale-like with there shiny appearance. They were glossy and shimmered under the golden sunlight, as they completely engulfed the figure that flew to him. He could see a head too, with glaring red eyes that were piercing as he drew in towards the Pharaoh, who could only watch as it suddenly, in an unexpected jump of speed, zoomed up to him and landed gracefully, its clawed feet touching the sand without a sound.

Atemu looked up at the creature in awe and silent tension, for he did not know what to expect from this gigantic shadow being as it gazed down upon him. He let out a gasp that escaped his throat like a gentle sigh. Now just a foot or so away from him, he could see the entity in full detail, noting that the lustrous feathers that enclosed its body also surrounded the face, making it seem very similar to a bird. However, what shocked the Pharaoh was not its height or intimidating animalistic exterior, but the fact that under these feathers was the face of a man, or at least a person, for all Atemu could make out through the black gauze was the color of tan skin and human facial features.

_Could this thing be human_? The Pharaoh pondered, but not before the being spoke in a deep, resonating tone that sound like a gong vibrating across a still pool. He could only listen in curiosity and distain as it talked to him in a low, slightly submissive tone, its head bowed towards him.

"Pharaoh Atemu" it said, its red eyes never leaving the king even though its head was bowed. "Queen Samira of Egypt requests your presence at her palace… I have come here to assist you in traveling across this desert." Atemu could not turn away from this entity, in fear that in a second it would either attack him or snatch Anzu from the sandy ground. He scowled and took a step forward to confront the creature bravely.

"How do I know I can trust you?" he asked, his voice commanding as he gazed into the crimson pools of his speaker. The thing merely sighed, and looked like it could have been… disappointed? Ashamed? Feeling an emotion of some kind? In its eyes looked to be a kind of sadness that was undeniable. Whatever it was it contained a human quality that made Atemu almost feel recognition for, and in turn slight compassion for it too.

"Please, Pharaoh, just allow me to carry you to the palace. That is what I have been summoned to do by the Queen, and if you are not going to allow me to do so willingly then I will have no choicer but to force you. It is her will, not my own that would make me, so I suggest that you agree to come… Maybe if you do you can save your kind." That last note left a sting in Atemu's heart, as this had been what he plotting for the last while- he needed to go to Samira's palace in order to destroy her, but this would mean that she was waiting for him, to spring a trap on him… but would that be any reason for him not to go? This could be his only chance to save his friends… this _was_ is only chance, even if he had to trust this servant of Samira's in order to get to her. Besides, even if she was planning to ambush him as soon as he entered her bastion, he would be ready for anything she could throw at him, because no matter what happened he would fight for his friends, and for the world. He would not let them die, or become slaves… they were counting on him to win.

He took a glance at Anzu's sleeping form, at her messy chestnut locks and smooth pale skin- all that was missing from her angelic face were her azure eyes to stare back at him. _I help save Yugi and the others, Anzu- continue to fight the Shadow Realm, and I will bring back our friends. I promise_.

"Alright, I agree to your terms. We should go" Atemu said, taking a look to his right over at the cave entrance to which Ishizu and Odion were currently within. He wondered if he should tell them that he would be leaving, but then shook his head; he refused to put them in any more danger than they were already in. They would be safe so long as he kept Samira busy.

As for Bakura, he was still laying silently in the jeep, not bothering to move from hat Atemu could observe. The Pharaoh thought it odd that the tomb robber had failed to get up yet to discover the reason for the conversation occurring presently- Atemu knew that he should be able to hear them from where he was. Perhaps he was sleeping… or not, but the Pharaoh dismissed the idea. He had bigger issues to worry about now.

The creature seemed to smile faintly through the cloak of feathers that graced his chin, but it seemed to be a sad smile at that. His red eyes softened a bit. "As you wish, Pharaoh" he said dutifully, before suddenly sliding behind the ancient king, placing his feathered arms under the crooks of the Egyptian's armpits, and the lifting him up into the air in a swift, flowing motion that looked as if it took no energy or struggle from the being.

Atemu's amethyst eyes opened wide as he felt his feet being raised from the sandy ground. His head tilted downward to see the ground get farther away from him, as he was being held by the entity with his arms interlaced with his. Once it had gained enough altitude, they shot forward, and the fierce gale that consumed them disheveled Atemu's hair and made him squint as they traveled across the desert. He could see the dunes rise and fall, he could see the sunset sky become darker with the mystical colors of twilight, but what he wanted to see most of all, was Samira's palace grow closer in the hopeful distance.

---

Bakura laid back on the seat of the dormant jeep, his platinum hair spread out behind his head and his chocolate eyes gazing at the light blue heavens. He wasn't thinking about much… other than the fact that he had just seen one of Samira's pets take the Pharaoh away to her lair.

He hadn't really cared much at first that the Pharaoh had been out there the whole time that he had been, partially due to their little tiff earlier that day. The tomb robber, after the fight had commenced, marched in a cool fury out of the cavern and jumped into the safety of the jeep, looking to calm his raging temper for the sake of being nothing in the presence of everything, for being ignorant when he was really alert to it all. He had watched silently when Kaiba stormed out of the cave, yelling about them being losers and whatnot- yes, that did please Bakura to a point, but he knew early on that the stubborn CEO wouldn't be able to last through his grudge since he would most likely die in the desert long before that. He knew Kaiba would never give up on a grudge if he had one- that was why he refused to lose to Yugi, or in a sense the Pharaoh. _ He'll probably get eaten by vultures before he even dares to admit that he was wrong_, thought Bakura.

The Atemu came out of the cave with Anzu in his arms, and though Bakura thought about coming out if the Pharaoh decided to apologize for being a bastard the he might grudgingly accept; however, all he did was sit in the sand with her on his lap, and Bakura refused to remove himself from his spot. There was no point in making a further scene- no, he would just sit there, basking in the hot Egyptian sun, get sunburned just to annoy his hikari when he took control of their vessel… yes, that was what he had been planning to do, until that feathered friend of Samira's decided to make an appearance.

Bakura had been secretly watching the encounter the whole time, though the Pharaoh hadn't taken much notice. He could see them both talking to each other, and then a second later the servant was grabbing the Pharaoh by his arms and carrying his baggage off in the same direction that was Samira's palace. Bakura, as soon as he was out of sight of the ancient king, got up from his post and leapt out of the jeep, watching as the black dot that was them faded off into the misty blue expanse that was the sky, just above the horizon of bronze sand.

_Now the battle begins_. Bakura sauntered over to where Anzu lay, her unconscious form unmoving as he approached with his hands in his pants pockets and his body slouched over in a lazy pose. His colorless trench coat billowed in the light breeze, his white locks fluttering along with them- his dirt-colored eyes glared down at her with a cold, unfeeling gaze, as he started at her while she breathed unaware of him or anything else in the real world. Though the air was hot and dry he felt chilly, like he was surrounded by a mist of bitter winter and he could not escape it. Perhaps it was in his nature to be so cold, but it did not matter for him- he had always felt cold, and that was how he would always be, as long as Samira didn't penetrate him further and do anymore damage then she had already done, as he remember his kiss with the brunette teen who was now sleeping by his feet.

He was about to walk back to the jeep, where he might obtain some sweet relaxation for once, but the sound of approaching footsteps from inside the cave stopped him cold as Ishizu and Odion finally immerged from the dark room, looking for the Pharaoh. They came out, their eyes glancing left and right for him, but when his appearance was not imminent they both glared at the thief with discontent and absolute distrust. He looked to them and realized that now, if he didn't tell them what had occurred previously, they would blame him for the absence of the baka Pharaoh. He didn't need that… they were annoying as it was.

"Tomb Robber" Ishizu hissed, her voice for once menacing as she confronted Bakura with much malice, "where is the Pharaoh?"

---

Author's Note: _And there was chappie 46! Please R x R me as soon as possible, so that I can read them all before I leave on my trip. Again, I won't be here between April 6th through the 16th, so sorry folks but I won't be around for ten days to update (actually, I wouldn't be able to anyway, since I don't have school and thus my mom cannot work- she's a bus driver- and thus I cannot sneak onto my beloved computer to type this!)._

_See ya around… though I'll probably have an update out before my spring break (which is when I go on my trip) knowing how tempting it will be… ah, whatever we'll see. Adios, for I must now go and try to find some way to get money so that I can purchase the wondrous Kingdom Hearts 2 game that I have been wanting for like FOREVER! Wish me luck with my begging! _


	47. What Separates Good From Evil

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Hello everybody! I AM BAAAACCCKKK!_

_And with my cruise I have come up with a new idea for a fan fiction! Read my new fan fic, it is called _Desert Aqua_… it's good I promise you! Have I ever given you all a bad fanfic?_

….

_Didn't think so. Now, to get on with this fic, and our attention is drawn back to Anzu and her encounter with none other than the infamous Yami Marik! Enjoy!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 47: What Separates Good From Evil….**

Yami Marik cackled darkly; Anzu wanted to scream, but her voice was lodged somewhere in her throat.

The evil that was once the secondary personality of Malik Ishtar stood before her, his body almost cloaked in the veil of shadows provided by the alleyway he was positioned in. He hadn't changed at all since Battle City, where defeat had been handed to him at the hands of Atemu and Yugi when they destroyed him. He was still the same—even the small time he had sustained in the Shadow Realm had failed to alter the dark menacing presence that was him.

His skin, despite being shielded by the darkness, was still the same bronze tan from his Egyptian body, from Malik's body. His blondish platinum hair stuck up like an outlandish display of porcupine quills, shooting from all ends of his cranium so that the sharp pinnacles surrounded his head like a weapon in a wild and unnatural display. His bangs stayed limp around the sides of his face so that his forehead was visible, which only proved to worsen Anzu's terror as she could see the visible golden symbol the was the insignia of Shadow Magic, the Millennium Symbol or the Eye of Horus. His lavender eyes, exotic and mysterious, bore their overwhelming sense of impenetrable evil to which none could escape. He could have appeared normal, almost human with all his other features if it were not for the disturbing and utterly demonic gaze. He wore the tight black sleeveless shirt he had on during his reign over the Battle City, showing off the muscular physique he obtained from simply being alive—Anzu could simply not imagine Yami Marik taking time to lift weights on any occasion. His lower half was covered by his tan khaki pants that were loose and held by a black belt around his waist. The cloak of a Ghoul hung around him and off his shoulders like a cape, the violet fabric flowing off him like a cascading waterfall of dark amethyst. His feet were adorned with plain black shoes, but those were covered by the long khaki pants he had on so they made no difference in his appearance. And what was the concept of caring about his shoes, when there were far more sinister things about him that could possibly make this trip to the Shadow Realm Anzu's first, and her last.

Marik could sense Anzu shiver at the sight of him, which so provoked another baleful chortle to escape from his lips as his lavender orbs danced in disturbing format. Like a predator he watched her, his eyes never leaving her stunned form as he finally cleared his throat to speak in his dark and malicious voice, one that made the hair on Anzu's neck stand at attention.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't little Anzu who visits me here in the Shadow Realm" he begun, his voice slithering up Anzu's back until it laced around her throat and unhooked her voice from its unnatural suspension.

"…Marik…" she whispered, almost too shocked to even speak that one word. Of all the things for her to run into in the dreadful world that was the Shadow Realm, it had to be him: Yami Marik, the evil personality of Malik Ishtar that became the bane of the Ishtar clan and caused much destruction to many of her friends, and herself. He had been sent to the Shadow Realm at the end of the Battle City tournament, and for the most part everyone had taken part in forgetting his very existence as he was almost taboo amongst them. Too many bad memories were emitted with his image, such as being a mind slave and watching as her friends, Mai and Joey, both fell victim to his unmatched power. Luckily Atemu and Yugi were able to stop his conquering of the world, but seeing as she was alone and had a demonic Yugi chasing after her, this would seem to only worsen her luck.

He chuckled as she spoke his name in fear, his arms crossed at his chest as he smirked devilishly. "So I am not completely forgotten, eh? Good, as I would hope that my image would remain one that stimulates fear in mortals." He took a step closer, as though trying to intimidate her more; it worked as Anzu timidly took a step back, almost inching off the edge of the sidewalk. She stumbled a bit but failed to fall, regaining her balance and once again staring at a laughing vision of evil. She scowled but it was not enough to phase the dark yami. "So, how long has it been, my dear? A month? Two months? A year? Time is not the same here… and I would be entertained to know of what's happening in the other realm. Care to inform me?"

He took another step, but this time Anzu did not step away. Instead she stood her ground, though her knees were visibly shaking and the terror was still keen in her azure eyes. "What are you talking about? I'm back home… you shouldn't be here, you were sent to the Shadow Realm!" Again Yami Marik snorted in amusement, and now Anzu was removed from her fear and became more annoyed than anything.

He chuckled more as he grimaced at her obliviousness. "Did you not hear what I said before?" he mocked. "You are in the Shadow Realm, my dear Anzu. You are in my world now, not back home as you would have guessed. The illusion may seem real" he paused as he glanced at the wall to his right, before he punched it to reveal that it was merely air at his touch as his bronze hand went straight through it, "but it is as real as I am nice."

While Marik decided that this would be another good time to throw back his head and cackle some more, Anzu put the pieces of this daunting puzzle together—if what Yami Marik said was true, then her dream of Atemu and Samira wasn't a dream at all, but the reality she was once a part of. Then that would also mean that she was in the Shadow realm, in a sort of virtual reality of Domino City, where a shadow monster had taken the form of Yugi and was now about to track her down and possibly take her soul. At this her eyes grew even wider with horror, and as she thought she heard the sound of Yugi's demented laugh somewhere in the distance she started to run down the street because of the adrenaline rush that surged through her. She needed to get away—away from Yami Marik, away from the fake Yugi… away from this strange Shadow Realm nightmare so that she could think and plan, if there was even a glimmer of hope for her surviving in a world full of soul-hungry demons.

_I have to find a way back home! I have to defeat the shadows_! she shouted in her head as she urged her legs to run faster. Yami Marik, after he had finally finished enjoying a long laugh of amusement, glanced to his right to see Anzu making a dash for the corner. He smirked as he shouted, "I suggest you not run Anzu! The shadows surround you in this realm, you cannot escape!" She did not respond to him though as she ran out of sight. This only lengthened the grin on the dark soul's face as a vein protruded from his forehead and lower jaw.

"Let's see how far she gets before I have to help her."

---

Anzu wished she could see her real home again, with all her old friends and family by her side and her life back to its semi-normal state. As she ran she kept wondering about how Atemu and Bakura were doing back in the real world, and if Atemu had gotten to Samira yet. Was he even still alive?

Anzu shook her head, her chestnut locks swishing in the wind as she banished the thought from her reeling mind. _No, of course Atemu's alive—why wouldn't he be_? The image of Samira placing the blue Millennium Eye on Yugi's forehead caused tears to be aroused from cerulean pools. _He's alive—everything's fine back home, they'll win like they always do, like they always do!_

But why couldn't she convince herself of this? Perhaps the fact of the matter was she wasn't sure is **she** was going to make it out of this alive. She was weak, defenseless, had shadow monsters chasing her from all over the city, and now Yami Marik new of her existence here. She felt ready to burst inside as she struggled to regain her composure, but she found this difficult as her breathing quickened from her anxiety and because she was still galloping in no apparent direction. Her tears were obscuring her vision, and she was panicking—there was no where to run, no where to hide, and worst of all, no one to turn to. She was alone and powerless—perfect prey for any shadow monster that found her and managed to chase her down. That wouldn't be too hard now, as she began to grow tired of running and her legs felt like they would give out on her. The surge of adrenaline was nearly out and this left her tired and vulnerable, or at least more vulnerable then she was before.

She had to find some place to sit for a second and catch her breath, perhaps even think of a plan though she doubted that there was much hope for her now. She glanced about as jogged now along the sidewalk, and she realized quickly that she had run so far that now she did not know where she was in Domino. At the far end of the street she could see a warehouse, and seeing as she had no other options she quickly rushed over to it and entered through a broken window.

It was an abandoned warehouse from what she could conclude, as there was nothing in it except broken machinery and empty space. Sunlight filtered in through broken windows all over the warehouse, and water leaked from a broken pipe off at the other end. It was silent save the repetitious drips of water from the pipe, causing a monotonous hum and calm to spread throughout Anzu and settle some of her nerves. She ran a finger through her hair, and wiped some of the tears from her eyes as she walked across the empty floor space of the empty warehouse, her footsteps thundering through the quiet and her breathing whispering like a stiff breeze. She was still in a sense of hopelessness and doom, but at least now she could have some peace, both around her physically and in her mind. The chaos had calmed for now, but in no time the roaring seas of the Shadow Realm would churn and come to flood her over until she was nothing but a broken shell. She had to think of a way back home, and she would have to think of it fast.

She had walked to the opposite end of the warehouse now, and feeling her legs turn to jelly under her from her intense running she collapsed down against the wall, sitting so that her back lay against it and her legs splayed on the dirty floor. She sighed heavily, resting as she tried to think of something positive, but all her thoughts turned back to Yugi as he laughed malevolently and Yami Marik's amethyst eyes glaring at her cynically. Anzu brought her legs up to her torso, her arms wrapped around them as she placed her chin on her knees and rocked herself slowly. There was no hope, for she was trapped in a world that would be determined to drag her down… how could she fight when she was nothing but a puny insect in a place that was epitome of evil itself?

"What am I going to do?" she moaned to herself.

"Well, you could at least put up a decent fight." Anzu jumped up in fright at the sound of Marik's dark voice, and she wheeled her head to the let to see him gazing down at her, his arms crossed and a smirk on his frenzied face.

"W-What do you want?" Anzu spat, however her fear was given away in the slight stuttering and weakness of her voice; Yami Marik grinned but didn't cackle this time, instead sauntering over so that he stood directly above her. She refused to meet eyes with him, both because she was deathly afraid of what he was here for and because she wanted to seem like she had enough nerve in her to oppose him, even though she really couldn't muster it.

"Only for you to provide me with valuable entertainment" he hissed sarcastically. "There is no possible way for a mortal like you to be in the Shadow Realm unless someone sent you here—I want to know what is going on back in your realm. And I think that you will tell me." Anzu glanced up now, but with a feigned resent in her sky-blue eyes to hide the tears.

"And what makes you think I'll do that?"

He chuckled softly. "Because I'm the only friendly face around, my dear. Not even little Yugi is who he seems, and if you ever want to escape this realm of darkness, then you might just want to help me out—I could end up helping you as well. Plus, it will be amusing to watch you try and beat the shadows, and I haven't had anything to entertain me here for a long time."

Anzu was silent for a great length of time, considering her choices. The obvious one was to run now, and try to get as far away from Yami Marik as she could. After all, he was still the evil, conniving dark side of Malik, who wasn't exactly an angel himself before Atemu and Yugi intervened—was it even safe to trust him in this realm? But on the other hand she had no one else to help her, and if Marik could prove to be at her assistance—even if it was for his own enjoyment—she might just be able to flee the darkness and return to the normal realm to help her friends, to help Atemu… was there any choice at all as to what she had to do, even if she _despised_ this entity with all her heart and soul?

She sighed, before taking the icy plunge for which there would be no turning back and said, "Alright, I'll tell you what has happened since you left."

---

The explanation had taken a long time, considering that Marik had been away since Battle City; Anzu had to try and sum up the events with the Orichalcos, the Grand Prix Tournament, and finally the Memory World. Marik appeared to enjoy hearing how Bakura had manipulated the whole thing into a Shadow Game and the end result of the Pharaoh's tragic fate, but then began the second half of Anzu's dreadful tale: Samira's new reign. Now she spoke in full detail of her adventures, giving time to tell how Yugi and her friends were now mind slaves, Bakura was on her side for unknown reasons, Samira tried to kill her, Bakura battled a brainwashed Kaiba, and that the Pharaoh had been brought back to life. She made note of the condition of Marik's primary personality Malik, and told him that his original side had fallen under Samira's control along with the rest of them. Marik didn't seem at all upset by this, instead chuckling at the news like he was enjoying the thought.

"My primary personality was always weaker than I", he mentioned with a grin on his tan face, only aggravating Anzu more. She had to work with him now, and that meant tolerating his destructive and insane nature.

"So" Anzu finally announced, "I've told you what you wanted to know—mind telling me how I'm going to get out the Shadow Realm?" Marik rolled his eyes lazily over in her direction, as he was now sitting on the filthy floor beside her once he got tired of standing. He had his legs propped up so that his knees were bent, and his backside was titled back so that his arms held him up by being positioned on the ground behind him. His violet cape was spread out around him like a pool of purple liquid, and his eyes were half-lidded as he grinned sadistically.

"Kukuku… there is only one way for you to escape the Shadow Realm, from the conditions you have just described to me, and that is for you to pass the tests that this realm has set up for you." Anzu blinked in surprise.

"That's it?"

"Oh, it is not that easy, dear Anzu. The tests from the Shadow Realm are more of its way of wearing you down until you eventually let yourself get absorbed into the darkness. For you to get out you must try to fight your way through them until you find a portal of light—from there you can leave the Shadow Realm and return to your own dimension." He let his gaze fall to his feet, which he tapped softly against the hard concrete ground.

Anzu still couldn't believe that it could be that simple. "If that's all it takes to get out of here, then why couldn't Mai leave the Shadow Realm when you sent her here?"

"She was weak when it came to her soul—it was easy for her to be overwhelmed by the shadows and have them drain her of her life and memories. You might be like little Joey, as he fought from the illusions that the Shadow Realm tried to fool him with and he was able to come back. Of you can be as strong as that imbecile, then you might have a small chance of making it out."

There was a pause, and the silence fell between them uncomfortably. Anzu broke it by letting her lingering questions be released, especially one in particular: "Marik, explain to me again why it is you're helping me?"

There was quiet, and then, just as Marik was going to open his mouth to speak a shrill cry rang throughout the empty warehouse. It pierced through Anzu's ears, and she covered them to protect her from the sound; Marik seemed unaffected, as he only tilted his head to the noise before looking back at Anzu amusingly. The scream died down, and Anzu looked to Marik nervously as the void where the cry used to be left a shiver up Anzu's neck.

"Hmm… sounds like they've discovered where you are" he said absently, as he stood up and dusted off his cape and clothes as though this was nothing of major importance. Anzu jolted up with him, the panic rising in her like bile.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Anzu hissed frightfully, but Marik's half-lidded eyes merely glanced at her without a hint of fear or wariness in them at all. He walked up to the nearby wall and faced it with his hands outstretched towards it.

"You shouldn't fret, my dear" he mocked, as his face suddenly grew serious and he concentrated on the wall. His body then glowed a dark violet as a line of black shadows formed on the wall in front of him; Marik's hands then began to separate as if he were pulling something open or tearing something apart, and as Anzu's eyes moved from Marik to the wall she could see that he was pulling something open as the line of black separated into a portal to a place of black and purple mist: the Shadow Realm. Instantly Anzu backed away from the portal, causing Marik to laugh between his gritted teeth as he forced the portal to form, finally releasing his hands from their taunt position as the opening became a solid round hole that was in the wall of the warehouse.

"What are you afraid of, little Anzu?" he sneered, as he took a step towards the portal. "You are already in the Shadow Realm—I just ripped a tear in the illusion the darkness has created for you so that we can finally get out of this labyrinth." He took a few more sauntering steps closer to the opening until he was finally walking through the window into the pure Shadow Realm—before his body was completely outside of the warehouse, he casually glances back at the brunette with a teasing coldness.

"Are you coming, or shall I let the shadows devour your pathetic soul?" With that, he receded back into the void and out of Anzu's sight. The girl shook her head in disgust of the dark being, and unwillingly pushed herself forward so that she too, exited the illusion to follow Malik's dark side out to face the challenges ahead.

As soon as her spirit passed through the vortex gate, it abruptly closed and the warehouse was empty and silent again. Only seconds later, a demonic version of the fake Yugi stumbled in through a broken window and sniffed the air, just a moment too late to catch its present prey. But the smell of her light was still strong, and with a lick of its black, blood-ridden lips it screeched again into the quivering air and continued on with its long-awaited hunt.

After all, hunting live mortal prey was always entertaining.

---

Author's Note: _So, we now have the evil and venomous Marik helping Anzu in her quest to return to her own body… so OOC. But what are his real motives behind his assistance, and will it be at a price to Anzu in the end?_

_Meanwhile Atemu is being flown to Samira's palace by a strange shadow creature and Bakura is about to spill the beans to Ishizu and Odion… oh Ra the terror! What will occur? You will just have to await my next installment!_

_And as a reminder, my new story _Desert Aqua_ is still awaiting new readers! Read and review for the desperate authoress! _

_And I would also like to remind all readers that there is a review button right at the bottom of this screen… all you have to do is press it and tell me your thoughts on the story, or how your day went, or whatever! Flame me for all I care, just let me know you EXIST!_

… _actually, please don't flame me because those are ridiculous and have no benefit to anyone, plus I will not believe you on account of the other 280 reviews I have for this story!_

_Ta-ta now!_


	48. The Quest for Vengeance

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Hello my peeps! Another wonderful chappie of this here fanfic is being brought to you via my home computer, so, um, here ya go! Have fun with it! _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 48: The Quest for Vengeance…**

The air was still over the sand-covered desert, as the wind had died down as the afternoon became the time of day. No movement was about save the beating of gigantic ebony wings, there mere presence sending clouds of the golden dust storming over the desert lands.

Atemu remained silent and watchful as he observed the lands of Egypt fly past him at a quickening speed. The hot arid winds whipped past his face, sending miniscule amounts of sand into his eyes from time to time. Luckily the strange creature that carried him had him positioned so that he could touch his face with his hands—that did prove to help if he became irritated by the dust and wind.

The trip had so far been one that was void of any real noise, save the beating of strong shadow-clad wings and the sound of the air zooming around them. Atemu had not wanted to speak anyway—of what would he say to the evil being that was assisting him across the wasteland, only to take him to his mistress's place? There was no room for conversation, so only the silence whispered in their ears like a soft croon in the night. It was soothing, as Atemu took the time to enjoy the emptiness of distracting sounds and thoughts, as this gave him time to relieve his stresses, saving them for the actual battle.

But it had been at least ten or fifteen minutes by now; Atemu did not have the any kind of watch or time-keeping device handy on him to tell him otherwise. The silence had now become irritable, as now the thirst for knowledge about the upcoming battle persisted to annoy him.

He realized that he nothing about Samira. Absolutely nothing—he was walking into this battle as blind as a bat and there was no real way for him to learn anything about her. Who would he ask anyway? People in the modern world had no knowledge of the Shadow Games of Egypt, much less an evil princess who wished to dominate them all within a matter of days. And anyone who did know about her was one of her mind slaves, one of her side; the last thing he needed was to let Samira know that he was desiring information about him; then he would show where his weaknesses lie.

But as the lengthy flight continued and still the infamous quiet persisted Atemu now knew that his curiosity was overwhelming him inside—he wanted to know about this bird-like creature that was transporting him like this. Was it even a bird creature? Out of the corner of his amethyst eyes Atemu noted that he could see a few of the "feathers" that clad the entity, and when he examined them closely without straining his eyes he saw that they really didn't look like feathers at all, or even fur for that matter. It was something different… it was smooth and silky-looking layers of this thin gauze-like material, almost like clothing. Atemu peered even closer, trying to see where the fabric attached to his skin, but once again he was shocked to note that it was definitely in his skin… this was not fabric or clothing but something **in**the creature's very body.

_What is this material_? The Pharaoh asked himself, and as he continued to examine the coverings of his carrier the mystical being's crimson eyes noticed the king's interest in its form.

"What I am made of is nothing from this realm" the creature said in it rich, melodious voice. Atemu glanced up in surprise, only to be met with the black outline of the individual and the glaring white sun, to which he quickly looked down again to avoid blinding himself.

"But then…" Atemu began curiously but cautiously, as not to rouse anything from the creature that might capture Samira's attention "what are you? You don't look human but…."

The being did not speak at first, before finally saying quietly, "What I am is not of too much importance. It is what I have to do that matters far more. You should not be too concerned with what I am, my Pharaoh, as to what you still have to do." Atemu thought about these words for a while, now truly wondering who this thing was and what made him seem so… different.

"You seem to speak a little more than I would think" Atemu stated into the silence, accompanied by another swift but magnificent beating of the twin wings in unison. "More than any mind slave of Samira's would be allowed—why are you able to?"

"Because I am not one of her mind slaves." The last statement made sense—obviously if it had its own free will it could not be governed by Samira, thus making it able to speak with far more conviction and had the ability to tell Atemu things that a mind slave simply could not. But that fact that it was working on its own free will meant that Samira trusted it more than she would a mind slave, and that meant—

"So you're working for Samira because you _chose_ to" the Pharaoh said, again met by another void of conversation by the being. It was thinking about how to respond, and though this took a bit of time the creature eventually allowed the words to flow from its mouth, though Atemu noted the sad, almost hopeless note in its once unemotional tone.

"I don't—if I could do as I pleased then I would never come within inches of the Queen, let alone obey her. Yes, I am under no form of mind control, but I do not follow her orders because I chose to, as you put it."

"Then why do you do it? If you are not under her mind control, can you not just leave? Why do you still listen to her?" The entity gave a long, hollow sigh, and as Atemu attempted to look up at his companion, a cloud passed over the blinding sun so that he could witness the grief in the large red eyes that belonged to it, so that he could see the unbearable sadness that washed over the crimson glow.

"It is a different kind of control—my kind are forced to obey her, whether we chose it or not. She is the Queen, and because of this it is against our laws to be against the ways of our ruler. She controls my flesh and blood, so that if I so much as say 'no' to her I will feel the pain all over my vessel. I may be of the Shadow Realm, but that was not how it had once been. I was once—" but then it halted, before looking down and giving the Pharaoh a sad smile behind the gauze-like fabric of black that cloaked its face in tethered clumps. "I have said too much as it is. You will see soon enough, my Pharaoh, when you arrive at the palace… we should be close to it now."

Sure enough, as Atemu peeled his gaze away from its blood-red stare to what lay ahead of him, the palace of Princess Samira was nearing them. From an aerial view the citadel looked as large as Atemu's old palace had once been. He could see all the many stone fortresses and buildings, with the huge statues that reached several stories in height next to the rest of the palace. It was all sand-colored, and had many paintings of hieroglyphs and ancient scenes on the sides of the many different parts of it, and in all the whole fortress looked just like any normal Egyptian palace should—save the horrible aura of darkness and foreboding that seemed to waft from the very sand that surrounded it.

Atemu observed it quietly as the creature that carried him began the descent towards the ground, shooting slowly into a drop that sped them towards the plush sandy carpets that covered the ground. As they went into a slight dive, Atemu almost thought that they would surely crash into the earth, but it was only at the last moment that the ebony wings came out to collect the wind and create a parachute effect that instantly slowed them to a quaint float a few feet from the sand. Atemu's feet dangled above the ground, just as his carrier dropped him gently down on the grains of gold with a slight thud. With that done, the magnificent being stayed airborne for a second before gracefully landing on the sand himself, his clawed feet slipping into the sand with a hiss.

The crimson eyes of the creature looked at the Pharaoh solemnly. "This is where I leave you, Pharaoh Atemu. We have arrived at Queen Samira's Palace." With a dark hand he gestured for Atemu to look at the palace behind him, and with his amethyst eyes he took in everything he could. From ground level the palace walls seemed far more menacing, and even taller than before as they towered over the two with prowess and sinister appeal. The air was far too quiet, even for the abandoned desert, around the buildings that were guarded by two oversized statues of crouching Egyptian men; it was larger than thirty stories, from what Atemu could assume, as his eyes traveled to the very top. No one was outside, no one was watching him from the roof… it was deserted… too deserted for Atemu's liking, but he didn't have a choice. He turned back to the creature slowly.

"And this is where you leave me?" he asked, and it nodded in response.

"Yes. You will enter through the large doors directly in front of you, and somewhere within the palace is Samira's throne room. That is as much as I can tell you, because this entire structure is enchanted by her to change the way from which you entered—whatever information I give you will not help whatsoever."

That didn't sound promising; it appeared that Atemu would be entering a labyrinth of sorts, and there would lie the challenge. Luckily, he felt ready for it as he took a few steps towards the palace, before wheeling back around to speak to the being one last time.

"I promise you, I will defeat her. Then you will have your freedom again" Atemu declared, and with that he turned back towards the palace in front of him, his violet cape swishing in the non-existent breeze as he started his short trek to the final battle, to where he would finally see his friends again and free them from the control Samira had over them, to where destiny awaited him once again.

The creature watched the Pharaoh leave, a slight smile of hope behind the shreds of black shadows that concealed it. "Good luck, my King" it whispered.

---

Samira remained in her secret room again, the one adjacent to the throne room via a stone statue. She was beside the crystal sphere that was her eyes, the smoky haze that consumed the interior of it showing her images of all tat occurred in the world around her. At the moment she gazed upon the display of the ancient Pharaoh, in all his glory, approaching her palace and almost at the large stone doors. She grimaced fearfully yet amusingly as she watched him march closer to her fortress.

"You are getting closer, Atemu" she whispered absently. "Closer and closer, to the truth you never knew." Suddenly she felt a presence behind her, as it had just teleported itself into her quarters. She frowned as she sighed and addressed him.

"Yes, slave? Is everything prepared with the troops?"

"Yes, my Queen" a meek but stable voice replied, and she knew it to be one of her closer servants, the one that had provided her with the enchanted arrows and bow. "They are ready for the attack. All we need is your say." Samira gave a small snicker as she placed a slender hand over the crystal orb, which promptly glowed a deep violet before showing her a new image; this time it was one of the canyons and ridges, where a broken down jeep was parked and a small cave was hidden into the rock.

"Excellent" Samira hissed excitedly, still staring intently at the sphere. "With Atemu gone from the cave, this will be the perfect time to attack the last of his companions. Though Anzu is now useless in this fight, she has been such a nuisance that I only desire to watch her blood run slowly. And the tomb keepers can be taken prisoner, along with Kaiba… as for that thief, I'll deal with _him _later. Personally." The princess broke into a loud cackle that consumed the room with its echoing sound. Smiling maliciously, she turned to her servant, watching as he observed her through slightly fearful eyes.

"The time is now—go tell the troops to head out now, while there is still light for them to see. Tell them to bring back all prisoners, dead or alive, I don't care, just bring them here!" With that sharp note the servant swiftly left, vanishing into the shadows without hesitation. She was all alone in the room again, watching the glass sphere as the clouds showed her images, and to each one she grinned as she knew that her world domination was soon to come to closure.

"And the world will finally be as it should—with me as its queen!"

---

Author's Note: _And that would be chappie 48! Thanks to all that have reviewed me—you are all so great, I mean for all 47 chapters you have read and reviewed SO faithfully! Li heart you ALL!_

_And now, I say: adios! R x R soon! _


	49. Waiting in the Dark

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _La-la-la… or some reason I feel SO giddy, despite the fact that for some reason my computer refused to let me log in for SO LONG… ahhh, what I must suffer through to give you all such great fan fiction! _

_But then again, we'll see how good it is by how many reviews I get. If you think my stuffies are good then press the little blue button at the end of this story… if not, screw you! Naw, I'm just kidding… but seriously, screw you go read something else. If after 48 chappies you STILL don't like this, just give up_… _it won't do you any good, so scram!_

… _Yeah I'm done. Read on, my readers! Read on!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 49: Waiting in the Dark….**

Just as Anzu had gone through the portal that led to the true Shadow Realm, the window into her illusion shut tight behind her, causing her to jump in fright. Yami Marik took quick notice and chuckled darkly.

"Kukuku… if you are this timid now then I doubt you'll survive the tests of the Shadow Realm." They were now walking through a realm of violet and black haze, where the world was shrouded in the dark mist that was the Shadow Realm. Anzu shivered as she moved onward behind Yami Marik, both thankful and afraid for his close presence. The entire air around her seemed polluted with the darkness, clinging onto her clothes and skin like dust and making her feel covered in the imagined filth. There was a sense of cold all around her; she wrapped her arms across her chest, feeling the warmth that was held within her body. Even so, the way the fog almost drenched her in the cool stench of the dark made her own body heat insufficient in keeping the chills at bay.

Marik didn't seem the least bit fazed by the environment as he sauntered on, the tempting allure of the shadows and the icy bane it reeked of appearing as simple as the breeze to him. Anzu could only assume that being in the Shadow Realm for so long had caused him to become used to how the atmosphere felt, and so it no longer bothered him as it presently did her.

The air was silent, save the slight thud that their feet made as they trudged into the nothing, moving towards a seemingly nonexistent spot to which Anzu had no idea where or what. She was simply following Marik, who seemed to know the way—but the uneasy quiet was itching and biting at her mind as they just marched through the mist, blindly moving and never stopping. After a while it all began to look the same—now she was definitely thankful for Marik's presence, for if it wasn't for his generous guidance she would have been lost for sure and wandering aimlessly for all eternity.

_To think, one of the worst enemies Yugi has ever faced is helping me get out of the Shadow Realm_—_what a switch_, Anzu thought incredulously, as her feet mindlessly stomped forward, still following Marik into the dark.

It was like this for another long period of time before finally Anzu started to feel anxiety and a hint of frustration. _Does he even know where he's going_? _We've been walking for at least an hour now, and he hasn't said a word_. _Maybe he was tricking me all along_. That could have been true—after all, she had taken to trusting him a bit early, without even taking the time to consider how dangerous a foe he really could be still. And what were these "tests" that he had been talking about before? The only thing Anzu could imagine when she thought about it was her sitting in her desk with her No. 2 pencil awaiting the packet of questions to arrive in front of her, but what could the shadows be providing to help wear her down? Her doubts were rising and her fears were increasing, as the never-ending Shadow Realm continued to stretch farther and farther across time and space, never failing to spread out past its limits to torment her more—

"Marik" she hissed suddenly, and to this the sandy-haired entity stopped where he stood but failed to turn around. "This is taking forever. Where are we going?" Though he said nothing she could oddly sense that he was smirking right now, even with his back facing her.

"Patience, my dear. The darkness likes to feed on those who do not wait" he said darkly, and she swallowed to help calm the nerves that flared up at the sound of his malicious voice. He then started to walk again, and she was helpless to do anything else but follow. "We are heading for the very heart of the Shadow Realm, for it has been said that where the darkness is greatest so is the connection to the light. And believe me, child", he added fiendishly, "the darkness there is far greater than any you have ever seen or felt. That is where the true shadows spawn."

They still trudged on as Anzu decided to perk up; if there was any time to squeeze some information out of Marik it was now. "But what about these tests you mentioned before? What are they?"

He was quiet for a moment, until he said, "Perhaps 'tests' was a bad way to put it… it is more like a fight, a challenge, a duel or sorts. As you should be able to tell, the Shadow Realm is prone to using games as a torture device, sending their victims into insanity by forcing their little minds to encounter impossible strategies. What you will be challenged with may not be the same as everyone else—it depends on what you fear, and what it is that makes you squirm the most."

Anzu tried to smile as her stomach did flips out of sheer terror, the words Marik had said becoming images in her mind. "Then, I guess I would be battling you, then?" At this slight attempt at a joke the secondary personality cackled uncontrollably, allowing for goose bumps to form on Anzu's tingling skin. She cringed as she listened to him laugh.

"Hmm, perhaps so, dear little Anzu" he sneered as they kept walking, "but don't put your hopes up too soon. The shadows will be in your very thoughts every time you merely think, searching for that one spark of terror that flows through your veins. It will use that to its advantage, so I'd be careful what you think, child. From the short time that I have been in this realm I have seen many souls attempt to make it out of the shadows, only to have their worst fears come alive before their eyes and scare their very souls into submission. Then they are sucked into the dark and processed as the light inside of them is fed to the darkness—the stronger the light, the more powerful the darkness becomes."

He was silent for a time, and Anzu watched him wearily. She then saw a violet eyes look back at her as his head turned slightly in her direction, only for her to see him smirk demonically at her fearful expression. But now, with this new information a question dawned on the brunette that she asked promptly afterwards.

"But Marik" she began, "what about you? Haven't you tried to escape the Shadow Realm? I would think that you of all people would be strong enough to make it out of here." She could hear him sigh—something out of the ordinary then what she was used to from him, which consisted of cackling, chuckling, and more cackling.

"Heh… if you only knew" he hissed. "If you only realized… didn't you hear what I said? The Shadow Realm wants to absorb the souls with _light_ within them, and if you haven't noticed _my_ soul hasn't a scrap of that to bear. I am pure darkness, and because of that I have not been allowed to find the way out of this realm—I can destroy any illusion or creature that the darkness throws at me, but due to my lack of light I am considered a permanent part of this place now. I cannot be allowed to leave.

"But that is not as bad as it sounds, child, for as you can tell, I am stronger than I was before. I have the Shadow Realm's magic mixed with my own, so I can now command far greater destruction then what my human form did so allow. You might say I AM the Shadow Realm!" With this, he raised his head to the heavens, or what might lie above them and guffawed. All of a sudden millions of black tentacles shot up from the ground and twisted around Marik—Anzu screamed and fell back as she watched the swirling shadows surround his lower half, with some of the darkness swaying around his upper half and head. He stopped laughing, now returning it to a chuckle as he looked at her venomously amused, licking his lips with his long pink tongue.

"What frightens you, my dear? This is only for display." As he said this all the black tentacles sank away from the Egyptian's body and were absorbed into the ground, disappearing as if they were never there. Anzu watched them all go, afraid of getting up lest they attack her from below, but once she was sure they had all vanished she timidly got to her feet. Yami Marik beckoned her to follow, and without much of a choice she did—after all, she was more afraid of being alone in the Shadow Realm than hanging around with Marik.

"So, when do you think we'll get to this 'heart' of the Shadow Realm?" Anzu asked, but just then Marik stopped in his tracks, and grimaced. He was looking directly in front of him, and Anzu followed his gaze only to see more haze and empty space.

"Look" he said mysteriously, his teeth glittering in a lethal manner, Anzu squinted her sapphire eyes but still she saw only the fog.

"I don't see anything—" Anzu didn't have to say much else after that, for what Marik was talking about finally came into full view. The brunette gasped in shock.

Out of the shadows a large silhouette began to form; at first Anzu could not tell what it was but as the smoke cleared and the haze past she realized that it was a temple of sorts. It reminded her of a cross between a gothic cathedral and a haunted house, as it was as gruesome and menacing as both combined. It was square-shaped, like one of the pantheons in Greece would have looked, with the pillars lining the front to hold up the roof and a flight of stairs leading up to a platform inside. The stone was a dark gray, though that could have been from the poor lighting in the Shadow Realm above anything else, and there was a dark aura surrounding it that made the hairs on Anzu's neck stand erect. She could see a black haze oozing from it, even darker than the fog of the Shadow Realm. The whole place reeked of magic and could easily fade into the mist as it just had a few minutes ago. Anzu swallowed hard at the sight.

"So this is—?"

"Yes" Marik announced, "this is the heart of the Shadow Realm. It changes its appearance for everyone, so this is what it will look like to you."

Anzu looked at him quizzically. "Then what did it look like when you came here?"

"Like a huge Egyptian pyramid… nothing original, frankly, but that was what it was." Anzu stared at the massive building, wondering what to do next; Marik answered that question shortly after he saw the blank look in her eyes. "You can go forward now, child. The longer you stand here the longer this shall take."

She nodded sternly, though her insides felt like they had gone through a meat processor. What would await her in that fun house of horrors? The only way for her to know was to walk inside. She tentatively took a step forward, but just as she did so she heard a cackle echo about the mist. And this time it wasn't Marik.

"Hello?" she said, and then more firmly she demanded, "Who's there? Answer me!" The laugh came again, this time from another direction. Anzu's ears directed her to look up, at the roof of the odd building she was about to enter. Her eyes went up to it, followed by Marik's as they both saw a shadow in the mist standing atop the temple; Anzu could feel her blood run cold when she noticed how familiar the silhouette appeared.

"It can't be…!" she breathed, praying with her quick-beating heart that it wasn't, all the while knowing what it could be.

She could see the form come clear into her view, and any breath that had once taken residence in her lungs was tripled in one quick inhale. The person had the familiar black tuffs tipped with crimson and violet, just as his eyes did burn as he stared down upon her. He wore the usual blue school uniform that he always adorned, as well as the dog collar and double belts that were studded. His oversized sneakers just barely peeked over the edge, but never failing to display his lack of height as he cackled again in his high voice, making Anzu shiver as she watched the person laugh, a sight of pure terror that made her wish she could vanish from her present existence. It could be, and yet there it was….

"Yugi…."

---

From inside a dark room in the lower levels of Samira's palace, engines roared as three Land Rovers flared to life. In each jeep a maximum of five soldiers were seated, sometimes with a few extra standing as they had no seats left over for them. They were all as different as night and day—some of the servants were silent and stared forward, as though they were absent of all feeling and desire to move. The few that were not turned out to be rowdy and shouting to each other, the thrill of the chase finally taking hold of them as the drivers put the cars in drive, and waited for the rest as they circled in the dark.

"We all ready to go?" one of the men shouted above the engine noise, his dark brown locks sailing against the air that was pushed away by the swift motions and his shadow-suit unseen in the darkness of the room. Two other soldiers dressed in black ninja outfits yelled good-naturally in unison, holding up half-empty bottles of red liquid with huge grins on their malicious faces. The brunette-haired man frowned but was not displeased with his troop's overzealous nature—they would need to stay optimistic if they wanted to have a good time taking out their enemies.

"Sure are, sir!" One of the other wild servants shouted, and another one said behind him, "Pull up the door—I ain't waitin' much longer for you jerks to get goin'!" The quiet ones simple sat in their jeeps as their animalistic companions made the Land Rovers spin on their back wheels, their eyes blank and their movements done as they merely swayed where the jeep flew. One of the jeeps had a mixed group, where two of the silent servants and one normal one sat together in the back as two of the crazier few were up front driving and directing. The one in the back tapped his boss in the passenger's seat on the shoulder.

"What's up?" his boss shouted, his voice friendly and unhindered by the noise around them.

"Well, it's just that" the boy jerked his thumb to the other two slaves with him in the back seat, who were motionless and unnerving like manikins. "I'm just askin', but what's up with these here fellas? They're awfully quiet and unmovin' and stuff. Kinda creeps me out, ya know?" The older man up front chuckled a little.

"Don't mind them, son. They's just the puppets of the Queen—ya know, for those who don't listen to her, she just whips out her left hand and she makes 'em her mind slaves. They don't have minds of their own now… they's just do the work she tells 'em to." The man winked at the younger one. "If ya get on her bad side, you might just become one of 'em shortly. Better stay in line!"

"Oh… okay sir" the soldier said, before sitting back down with the two mind servants, who hadn't moved at all since he last glanced at them.

"Okay, listen up!" a voice rang through the garage and all the jeeps fell into park as their drivers were forced into a slight silence broken only by mumbles and engines humming. The leader with the long brown hair was standing up in his jeep, looking around at the rest of his troop with his emerald green slits.

"Alright guys, the Queen is sending us out for some dirty work! She needs us to take out some rebels who she wants back—dead or alive, and she wants us to do it!" All around blood-thirsty shouts were heard and men cheered from their seats. "Now, now, don't get too damn excited. There aren't that many but I heard these are the ones that's been givin' her trouble—if we kill these bitches and bring 'em back then we'll be in her good graces, ya hear? Okay men, let's head out!"

Suddenly a sliver of light formed in the far distance, just on the horizon, before it grew in height as the sound of stone against rock crackled and hissed. All the servants and soldiers whistled and rallied as the main door to the transportation unit rose up, allowing for the light of the afternoon sun to flood into the dank basement and spread its warmth over the troop. With wild animal cries they started their vehicles and they sped forward, the wheels screeching as rubber burned against the stone ground.

I'm so glad the Queen gave us these babies!" a blonde surfer-like servant bellowed, "and made us this garage! Now we're really stylin'!"

"Ready boys!" The brown-haired leader shouted, and they all screamed in unison as their jeeps flew out onto the sand dunes of Egypt, sending up waves of dirt in their wake as they raced towards the canyons on the horizon.

---

Author's Note: _And now the troops are heading for the camp! What will Bakura, Ishizu, and Odion do with a lifeless Anzu and with Kaiba out in the middle of nowhere_!

_And what will Anzu do, now faced against Yugi in the Shadow Realm? What does he want, and what is Marik still helping her for, damnit! All will be solved_... _I don't know when but it will be_!

_R x R for me, and it shall be revealed soon enough_!


	50. When Doom Approaches

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Oh, so much feedback! And I hit over 300 reviews! The special reviewer who gave me my 300th review is none other than:_

_Drum roll_... **Ancient Dreams**!

_I have to ask Ancient Dreams WHY it is that they are constantly at my milestone marks… do you plan this out or something?_

_Still, you guys really know how to make a writer feel GREAT! And so I update, since I have nothing better to do with myself other than homework that I should be doing to begin with, and because I love you guys! _

_Thankies so much!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 50: When Doom Approaches….**

By mid-afternoon the sun had become a golden disk, tilted so that it favored the western side of the sky over that of the eastern heavens. The azure sky was tinted with the faint wisps of cream-colored clouds—"horsetails" are what these clouds are sometimes called, and they are said to be a sign of changing weather, though it could be good or bad.

In Kaiba's case, any change in the weather might be considered a good one. He had been wandering in the desert for what felt like possibly forever, and still he had yet to see anything that might have resembled civilization. If his doubts of not giving up were not strengthened in the last hour of his travels, then this one might be enough to push him over the edge.

He trudged through the sand, which became the very bane of his existence at the moment for it pulled down on his tired legs and made him sink deeper and deeper into its plush surface. His purple trench coat was no longer billowing in the hot breeze of the desert as it once had, but was instead dragged along behind him as he felt sweat drip from his face and neck. His black jumpsuit was becoming more than he could bear to handle, as the sun beat down upon him like a hammer does a nail—a nail that refused to sink into the wood and continued to stay above the surface of its despair. At all else, these few images of the great CEO seemed pathetic and almost helpless, as he appeared as tragic as a wandering vagrant in search of water.

But his mind, his soul, was far from that extent. Though his outer shell showed someone suffering of the heat and the cursed weather of the mighty wasteland, inside of him still beat the heart of a champion, of a warrior, of a man who couldn't even assume the possibility of giving up when he had so much to lose in his life if he didn't take the next step forward. What would Mokuba do without him—continue to be a slave to some bewitching princess who only desired world domination? He could not stand for that, he would not stand for that—especially when he almost could not stand himself, with his worn patience and exhausted body.

_Mokuba needs me—I have to keep going_, he thought to himself, running his fingers through his brown hair in an attempt to clear away some of his aggravation. He could barely see with the brightness of the sun in his azure eyes and with the occasional gust sending grains of sand into them to further of obscure his vision. Every once and a while he glanced behind to see the canyons where their camp was growing farther and farther away, and with it he wandered further into the emptiness of the desert where he may never return.

He had realized long ago that this had probably been a bad idea on his part—what he hadn't hoped for was actually having to _admit_ to himself that this had been somewhat on his poor judgment. He had been so ambitious and anxious—so much so that it clouded his thoughts and prevented him from thinking beyond the prize, beyond getting back his little brother, safe and sound. He had even ignored the thoughts of food and water for a while, but he soon became aware of it has his throat hissed and his stomach lurched.

He also thought about how he acted towards the others, towards Yugi and his crew of idiots. _No_, _Atemu_… he had to correct himself and yet he still felt like it was in complete violation of all that he stood for. He still could not bring himself to accept that the person he had spoken to in the canyons was a Pharaoh brought back by some ancient magic to help them. It would mean that he was believing in those odd concepts, that he was becoming one of Yugi's friends and being forced to accept some lunacy, some craziness that he knew could not logically exist… but still, the prove was constantly before him, prying its way into his life so as to improve itself to him, but of course he wanted no part of it. To think if anyone knew that he believed in Pharaohs and magic—he would be sent to an asylum and he would lose his company, his brother… he had a reputation and that was all that mattered… or was it?

Why had he been so ignorant, when all the other times in his life he had thought like a calm and collected president and CEO that he should be all the time? He had been desperate, and that was what led him to be so drastic when it simply wasn't needed. But he couldn't regret it now, as he had other things to worry about.

Like hallucinations; they seemed to be appearing more and more as he progressed further and further into this arid landscape. First he had seen a mysterious flying creature coming from the desert at a fast speed, and then after that he saw it again, though this time it was higher in the air and it was carrying something as well. Kaiba could have sworn it was Atemu but then again with a hallucination anything was possible, and he couldn't see all that well due to the sun blocking his sight.

It had been a while since he had seen anything else, but what would that matter if he was going crazy anyway? He could blame being dehydrated or sun-stroke for any unnatural things that he saw—after all, there was no such thing as flying creatures of that size and man-like shape, for all he knew. All that he could wish for now was that he wouldn't see anything else for a while so long as he was approaching a destination….

But things had not gone Kaiba's way since he left, so why should they start now? He heard an odd humming sound, similar to a mechanical roaring that droned out the silence he once knew, and as he took notice of it his eyes caught sight of something coming towards him from the horizon over the sand dunes.

_Figures, I'm seeing things again_, he thought irritably as he squinted to see what was nearing at a fast speed. With the heat blazing off the sand from the Egyptian sun the air made waves that fluttered in his vision, making his view of it vague. The air rippled like a translucent curtain over what appeared to be a car of some sort, which then multiplied by three as they drew near enough for him to see the images clearly. They were red and black in coloration, and they had to be moving at a rapid pace because billows of sand flew up in their wake. Then Kaiba noted the passengers riding the Land Rovers, and how some of them were standing up waving and shouting incoherently and how others were sitting placidly in their seats—when they were within Kaiba's range of vision he saw that they wore black ninja-like suits, similar to those of—

_Oh great, it's Samira's soldiers. _Kaiba glared at them detestably, his cerulean orbs narrowing to slits as they nearly zoomed right by him, some almost running him over as he stood perfectly still in front of them, before the jeeps wheeled right around and stopped directly behind him. Kaiba turned to greet them, his fists clenched and his teeth bared.

"Hey, lookie what we found, boss!" one of the servants said, pointing to Kaiba as all the rowdy one glanced up to see what had stopped them. They all grinned menacingly, their obvious thoughts being that of a fun chase and some torture at that, though it barely fazed Kaiba as he felt the rage against Samira boil up inside of him. No one moved for a while, only watching and waiting for the first move to be made—finally one of the free servants leapt over out of his vehicle, his straggly brown hair flipped over his face as he rubbed his stubbled chin with a gloved hand.

"Hmm… and who might you be?" the man asked teasingly, sauntering up to Kaiba as he placed his hands in his pockets. Kaiba growled but it was inaudible amongst the snickers and random cheers from the slightly drunk men. "We got ourselves a traveler, boys! Where you be headed, mate?" Kaiba hated this man already, observing his casual walk and bloodthirsty eyes of an emerald tint. There was a cynical glint in those eyes, ones that meant trouble for whoever got in his way. Too bad it was Kaiba who wanted to black this man's path, as he returned his look with a cold stare of his own.

"I said, where you be headin', mate?" the man asked again, still smiling gleefully but mockingly, and to this Kaiba growled louder.

"I'm going to your leader's palace, to rescue my brother. I suggest you take me there" he said, his voice threatening and not at all playful like his opponent's, as he gestured a fist towards him, "or else you'll be sorry you ever crossed me."

The servants grew silent for a moment, a few "ooh"s and "oh boy"s traveling about as the free-willed ones watched on excitedly for the suspense. The leader looked at Kaiba, surprised at the response he got, but instantly had the lint back in his eyes as he spit on the ground and wiped his mouth with the back of his gloved hand. He narrowed his emerald eyes at the CEO.

"So, you're an enemy, eh? Well, we know what to do with your kind, mate, and we can do it well." He gestured to his men and whistled loud. "Boys, we got us some fighten' to do, so come on out and round up this—" but his words were cut loose as Kaiba took his clenched fist and slammed it right smack into this guy's jaw. Spit and some blood flew from his mouth as his troop gasped, galvanized, but regained their resolve as they all gave death glares at Kaiba.

"I only want my brother" he said sternly. The other man hissed in fury.

"You'll pay for that, you traitorous scum…" the leader said, holding his jaw and slowly getting up from the ground. "Get 'em boys!"

---

"He went WHERE!" Ishizu exclaimed as Odion shook his head in shock. Bakura sat on the stone calmly, watching as Ishizu paled at his words. He snickered.

"To Samira's palace in the desert. One of her servants picked him up, and I think he would be there by now" Bakura responded, his teeth glittering in the faint light that entered the cave through the main opening. He sat with his elbows resting on his knees as he observed the two tomb keepers amusingly. Their expressions were more than enough to keep him occupied for a while.

"Ms. Ishizu, I'm sure that the Pharaoh will be alright" Odion said, trying to calm his sister as she seemed to start panicking immediately after Bakura gave them the whole story. He had told them everything—about the bird man and how he took Atemu away into the sky towards the palace of Samira. Though it was slightly amusing to see how Ishizu had instantly turned from collected prophet to nervous wreck in about two seconds… though Bakura might have been exaggerating as he had a tendency to over-do something when explaining. In short, Ishizu had become even paler than Ryou's hair and was looking slightly ill. "Our Pharaoh is very capable of handling himself. If anything else he might end this fight sooner."

"I know, Odion, but that's not what I'm worried about" Ishizu hissed, a tired look in her azure eyes.

"Then what troubles you?"

She sighed uneasily. "I just… I can't bring myself to think that the Pharaoh would even keep this from us. I know he has good intentions but, it just that, we want to help and stop Samira from taking over the world. I'm sure if he told us—"

"We would only get in the way, Ms. Ishizu. In our current conditions we are not fit to help fight in this battle. It is for the best that we stay in safety to help protect Ms. Anzu while she fights in the Shadow Realm." She sighed, though reluctantly, as she let her shoulders relax from their tense positions and she clamed her breathing to a light inhale. She looked over at Odion, who was sitting on the rock beside her own.

"Thank you, Odion. I needed that."

Bakura coughed loudly. "Can we please get back to task now? Though I do enjoy watching you turn into a pile of nervous jitters, I think it might be best that we stay on track." The two tomb keepers let their gazes fall on the white-haired thief again, and he smirked. "Good, now if I know Samira right then I think we will have more to worry about over here in our side of the desert. We are alone and out numbered—easy prey for her servants. She may have forgotten about us, but that is uncertain—for now we must be prepared for an invasion."

Ishizu looked at Bakura quizzically. "And how do you propose we do this?" Bakura shrugged in return.

"What, _I'm _supposed to come up with everything? You're the tomb keepers—you can think up something as simple as our next plan of attack." He gave her a smirk, to which she frowned at profoundly. "But my suggestion is that we get that damn jeep of yours started and find a new place to hold our ground. There is no doubt in my mind that Samira is aware of our location, and if she hasn't forgotten about our mere existence then we will be attacked shortly—and it won't be pretty." Bakura then got up from the boulder he had been sitting on, stretched his arms above his head as he heard the joint pop into place, and then ambled over to where Anzu lay unconscious on the ground. Ishizu and Odion looked at each other, before heading outside to go check on the jeep. Bakura watched them with a scowl.

"I hope those fools get that jeep going, so help me Ra" he hissed to no one, and then he turned to the sleeping brunette. He knelt down beside her, watching her breathe steadily as her chest heaved gently up and down. Her chestnut locks were splayed around her head on the floor, and her body lay limp beside his feet. He was silent as he gazed upon her, his head processing all that had happened so far.

_As if this couldn't get any worse_, he thought, thinking about how now they were left nearly defenseless in the wake of Samira's coming army. He might be able to fend off the first few but the use of his Shadow Magic would wear him out quickly enough for her troops to over power him fast, leaving the tomb keepers and Anzu in MIA to deal with what came next. He knew he could not allow that—as long as he was alive and uninjured he was going to get to Samira's palace and make her pay for what had happened long before, of times that he wished he could forget but couldn't.

He watched Anzu take in another slow breath, as he thought to himself, _I doubt things are any easier where you are_.

---

Author's Note: _Oh, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT! Looks like Kaiba's gonna get in some trouble! And when those guys are done with him, what'll they do to the others? Wait and see, friends, wait and see!_


	51. The Fight Begins

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Oh, I am so sorry for not updating sooner! I just got Kingdom Hearts II and things are going great! Still, I am very sorry!_

_And now, for the chapter you have all been waiting for because I should have updated earlier but didn't! Here it is, chappie 51!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 51: The Fight Begins….**

Anzu didn't want to believe it—she didn't want it to be, and yet there he stood, laughing maniacally like the demons of Hell would in a hasty victory.

Yugi was standing atop the temple from which Anzu would see the heart of the Shadow Realm. He was no different than he was the last time she had see him—messy black and red hair, blonde bangs, blue school uniform, dog collar and over-sized sneakers were all about him, as if he hadn't changed a bit.

But to Anzu the change was imminent, as she only had to look into his violet orbs to see otherwise. They were sinister and dark, a feature that she expected to see of Marik or Bakura, but certainly not Yugi. She could feel the icy coldness flow from his amethyst orbs like a sharp tide, and she could not help but be swept up in it all too quickly as he cackled maliciously at her from his perch.

"Yugi!" she said joyfully, before catching his gaze and seeing the darkness within it. "…Yugi, what's wrong with you?"

"Hmm, nothing is wrong with me, Anzu!" he said, but there was a bite in his voice that paralyzed her heart for a second. "Except that I'm trapped here in the Shadow Realm, and it's all YOUR fault! I want to kill you, for what you've done to me, you worthless wimp!" He laughed again, but this time it was harsh and scornful as Anzu could feel tears come to her. She was so happy to see Yugi, her best friend all over again—now he was acting like he hated her.

Her shoulders began to shake as she held back the torrent of emotions from her face. She wanted to cry, but she didn't want Marik or Yugi to see it, to see her weakness. But she had her heart so intent on saving Yugi that seeing him act so nasty to her made her feel so low, like she was sinking deeper and deeper into the darkness that surrounded her now….

"Anzu! Why do you look so miserable? It's just me, Yugi!" the teen said mockingly, before enjoying another bout of baleful snickering. At first Anzu could feel the tears reach up at her eyes, wanting to flood out so sharp and quick that she simply could not dam it in time. Here she was, looking at Yugi, and yet he was the exact opposite of the angel whom she wanted to save, whom she wanted to rescue from the true demon. But here he was, laughing and glaring at her with such evil in his eyes that she could not stand to stay within her realm of sanity. What was she do to, as all her emotions of the night he became a mind slave assaulted her like a gale of storm wind? She wanted to curl up into a ball and weep until the shadows sucked her up into their darkness….

_Yugi! Why are you acting this way_? She questioned to herself, before a light popped in her mind.

"You're… you're…" she sniffled, before looking up at Yugi with hatred in her eyes that could sent the Devil into a convulsion, "You're n-not Yugi! Y-You're just an illusion of the S-Shadow Realm!"

Yugi snickered. "Am I now? Just because I'm acting this way towards you?"

"Yes!" she shouted, feeling her hatred rise. She hated the Shadow Realm for all its tricks, for all its lies—with this as the lowest, she could stand it no more. "The real Yugi would never act like this to me! We're friends, so he would never be this evil!" Again this brought about another bout of laughing from Yugi, who still stood all high and mighty up on his perch on the temple's rooftop.

"Is that what you think, Anzu? That I'm some sort of illusion?" he cackled darkly, throwing back his head. "Oh Anzu, I thought we were friends—I guess you're so paranoid that you can't even tell when its really me. Well, here's the sad truth: this is really me, Anzu! When Samira made me into a mind slave, she banished my soul here to the Shadow Realm to make my body her permanent puppet. And I've seen the truth while I've been stuck in this hell hole too! I know now that if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be stuck here! Face it Anzu, Samira wanted you and had punished me in doing so! It's all YOUR fault!" He stared laughing insanely again, to which Marik gave a snort.

"Well, someone thinks they've figured it all out" he mumbled, before Anzu took a step forward to face Yugi, showing that she was no longer afraid.

"I don't believe you! Even if that had happened, Yugi would never act like this! You're an imposter!"

"You'd be surprised how the Shadow Realm can change a person, Anzu" he said demonically. His eyes narrowed to unnatural slits as he peered down at her. "It taught me things I never would have thought true, and it has helped our other friends too."

"Other friends?" Anzu asked nervously, but her wonder was soon unveiled as she saw two other figures saunter out of the darkness. She gasped as she saw the duo who now stood on both sides of Yugi.

"Joey! Tristan!" she shouted, galvanized by the sight of them. Just like Yugi they had the same shadowed look in their eyes, the same menacing glare that made her feel so cold and so alone. Joey chuckled at her frightened stare, pushing back some of his unruly blonde hair with his hand as he set both his hands into his pants pockets lazily.

"Dat's right, Anzu! We're here too!" he shouted in his less-than-intelligent Brooklyn accent, though now it was laced with venom as he spoke to her harshly.

"And we know the truth also!" Tristan shouted on the opposite side of Yugi. "How could you? Now all of us are stuck here, never to go back to the real world again—all because that witch Samira wanted you! You're completely to blame!"

"You see, Anzu?" Yugi said, his words biting at her mind now as she felt her heart lurch with despair, overwhelmed by all the hate and bitter anger that was fired at like nuclear attacks. "We've all changed by being here, and soon you will too, since you'll be stuck here for all eternity with us!" Now Anzu clenched her fist as she bit her lip. She may have been crying, she may have been hurt, but for all it was worth she would not stand to be brought down by her friends, if they were real or not.

"I'm not staying with you guys!" she yelled, glaring at them through tearing eyes, her voice breaking as she spoke. "I'm going to find the portal to the light, and I'll get out of here, no matter what! Just try and stop me!" She didn't care what these fakes said, or how much it pained her to go against them. She had made a promise to Atemu, a promise that she intended to keep:

"_I'll be back_…_ wait for me_."

She would not break this promise to him. She refused to believe that this was the real Yugi before her, and even if it was he was far too corrupt now for her to save here. She would have to save him when she returned to the real world, and destroyed Samira so that his body became his own again. Either way she would make it out of this realm, for Atemu was waiting and she would not leave him alone.

"Mwahahahaha!" Yugi chortled, before suddenly leaping down from the roof and took a super-human leap down to the ground. Anzu flinched, expecting to hear his bones snap as they hit the ground with such force, and yet he was fine as he brought himself back up from his crouched position in the mist. Joey and Tristan followed suit, jumping from the rooftop and landing behind Yugi, uninjured despite the distance they just leapt from. Yugi smirked as he gazed at her, his amethyst orbs like malevolent pools of the shadows.

"Is that so, Anzu? You want us to try and stop you?" he chuckled wickedly. "Well, that's what I'm here to do. You need to defeat me, and if you can do that you will be able to leave the Shadow Realm. That is, "he paused to give her a cynical glare, "if you can beat me!"

Anzu gulped, her eyes growing as wide as saucers. _I have to beat Yugi_? She knew that now this was going to be difficult. How was she supposed to defeat the King of Games, the person who never loses a fight, even if her freedom was on the line? He watched her cruelly, his eyes judging her and making her shiver at the sight. Joey and Tristan glared at her as well, and their eyes were too unkind for her to even stare at without tears edging to reappear. She knew from her past dueling experience that she was no duelist, if that was the game that they would play – sure, she had beaten Mai through forfeit and had taken out Joey when he was weaker, but that was as far as it goes. How could she compare to the person who beat nearly every dueling superpower in the world?

But she couldn't be concerned about that—she had to remember what she was fighting for now. She could feel Atemu's presence reassuring her onward—she could feel the real Yugi and her real friends standing beside her, telling her that she could do this. She could feel their warmth, and with it came their confidence. She could not let them down—she simply couldn't.

She stood her ground as she said, as confident and strong-willed as she could muster, "Yugi, I accept your challenge!"

He snickered as he turned towards the temple, with Joey and Tristan immediately heading for it in stride. "Well then, we should begin right now, shouldn't we?" He wheeled around on his heel, his hand gesturing for her to follow him towards the temple. Anzu looked to Marik, who had been standing silently as he watched the whole proceedings, and he merely glanced at her.

"Hmm, get going my dear—time is being wasted as we speak." Anzu nodded firmly, before heading forward to follow Yugi as they all started towards the looming temple of darkness, and Marik sauntered with them shortly after.

---

When Anzu reached the temple and climbed the many stairs that lined the front, she saw that she had entered a large plaza that had three walls surrounding every side other than the one she just crossed in from. The inside of the ill-omened temple was as dark and disturbing as the outside had been, as it was covered by darkness and barely any light remained inside it. It was all made of stone, and resembled a huge platform where a throne room might be, like the room where Atemu and Yugi had their Ceremonial Battle just a week ago. She walked cautiously inside, listening to her how her heels clicked on the hard stone floor, as she waited for Marik, to join her at the top of the stairs.

"So, are you ready Anzu?" she heard Yugi hiss, and her head wheeled around to see him standing at the other end of the temple floor, with Joey and Tristan in the background as observers. He was standing confidently, his hands at his side and his head held high as he snickered. She frowned, wishing that this nightmare would end.

"As ready as I'll ever be!" she shouted, and as she felt Marik reach the top the stairs she approached Yugi so that they stood opposite each other at a good distance apart. All seemed to be going okay, until Anzu watched as Yugi put his left arm forward and in a small burst of light a Duel Disk formed on his arm, complete with a deck in the deck slot. Anzu blinked, before returning with a scowl.

"And how am I supposed to duel? I don't have a disk or my deck!" Anzu proclaimed, but as she did so she felt her left arm grow heavy with an odd weight. Surprised, she looked down to see a Duel Disk identical to Yugi's appear, and there was a deck in it as well.

"The deck there is formed from your memories of your precious duels—the shadows have gone into your mind and have extracted such information." Yugi chuckled as he removed his deck from the slot and shuffled it. Anzu did the same, looking at some of the cards only to see that they were indeed her own. "And they have seen other things in your head—things that even you might not be aware of. Things that may even hurt you if you knew—"

"Stop with the tricks and let's just get on with this!" Anzu said demandingly, slipping her deck back in its holder. Yugi did the same and hissed maliciously.

"Alright, if that is what you wish!" Yugi said, and in concert their Duel Disks activated, their screens lighting up with the total Life Points of 4000.

"Let's duel!" they both shouted together.

---

Author's Note: _Dum-dum-DUM! Ooh, this is getting heated up! Hope you all can wait for what happens next! Angel's Nocturne, over and out! _


	52. Let the Fun Begin

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note:_ OMIGOD I am SOOOO sorry for not updating in a while! I have many a school projects to do and they are taking up so much of my precious writing time! Forgive me with your reviews!_

_And I was infected with spyware, so meh computer was slow as shit_…_ wah it sucked. But it's all good now_.

_I shall now move onto this great story! Let us see what shall occur!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 52: Let the Fun Begin….**

Atemu approached the two large stone doors that were his entrance into Samira's palace, his feet moving soundlessly against the soft sand beneath him. He could hear his violet cloak billow in the wind, snapping at the simplest breeze or gentlest movement. The hot air of Egypt had cooled now to a light warmth, as the sun was now behind Samira's palace and out of his view. It left him in the shadow of the gigantic building as it towered over him like a menacing beast, but he showed no fear as he gathered his courage, and placed his hands onto the cool sand-stone doors.

_This is it_, he thought to himself. _This is the moment—the moment that I get all of my friends back to safety, and where my destiny draws me to fight evil once more. This is where the battle shall commence_. With that he let his energy surge into his arms as he attempted to push open the heavy doors. It felt like he was pushing boulders with a straw, but nonetheless he pursued on, groaning a bit as he struggle to get the doors to budge. They hissed as he moved them, their rough edges scratching against the stone floor inside. As the doors began to crack open Atemu felt an icy-cold wind bite his skin as it rushed out of the palace with a sigh, as though finally free from its prison. There was the smell of decay and ancient musk that nearly made him cough as it was so strong.

At last he managed to get the doors wide enough so that he could enter—he sauntered inside as he let the cool musky air wash over him like a fog. It was pitch back inside the palace, which was somewhat surprising to the Pharaoh as he tentatively took a few steps forward, into the darkness. As soon as he was fully inside though, the two doors swung shut as though they were lighter than paper, but the noise they made as they clashed boomed like raging thunder. Atemu stood in the darkness, alone but not at all frightened.

"Samira!" he shouted into the nothing—he could not see an inch in front of his face, it was so absent of light. "I have no time for your games! Come face me, or I will—"

"You will what, oh mighty Pharaoh?" a voice echoed in the dank emptiness. It was male and husky, and certainly not the voice of a princess. "You can't even see! Why don't we turn up the lights a little for him, eh?" Suddenly Atemu heard the sound of a hiss and the swish of air, and he could see flames erupt in the distance on what he assumed to be a torch. It created a tiny orb of light around itself, but did little to sway the conquering dark.

Atemu looked around hastily. "Where are you? Show yourself!" His words' echo was promptly blocked off by a collection of chuckles that came from all around the room, at every corner and wall. Atemu wheeled about, listening to the many cackles and laughs in the darkness.

"Pharaoh, I think you're mistaken" the same voice from before said, which made Atemu's eyes narrow. "You asked where am I. Perhaps you should have asked: Where are we?" As he said this the room hissed with the sound of many torches all being lit in sequence. The room turned to one lit in twilight, until it was finally fully alit with the bright flames—Atemu's eyes adjusted quickly to the return of his sight, and what he saw made him growl.

He was surrounded by several warriors, dressed all in black robes that even covered their faces like ninja wear. Many of them held sabers and other strange weapons in their hands, and as far as Atemu could tell they were perfectly willing to take him out from the smirks that he could sense coming from them. They were in a room that looked like the main room of his soul room, except that the ceiling was so high that the light from the torches couldn't reach it. The doors that he entered through were at his back, and in front of him was a large staircase that consumed the whole opposite side, making the entire wall an open passage into the next room. Whatever lay beyond it was a mystery to him, as it was cloaked in total darkness.

Atemu scowled at the sight of all these warriors. "What do you want?" he asked, nearly growling. One of the men came forward, his hands on his hips and dark chuckle in his voice. As he spoke Atemu realized that this was the voice that had been speaking to him earlier.

"What do we want, Pharaoh?" the man snickered, and in suit so did his soldiers. "What we want is what our Queen wants, and she wants _you_ to prove yourself worthy of seeing her." Atemu glared at the man.

"And how do I do that?" he asked, annoyed—he hadn't the time to be fooling around with her slaves now. The warrior smirked, and then pointed to the wall to Atemu's left. The Pharaoh turned to see what he was directing him to see, and his eyes went wide.

There, attached to the sand-bricked wall by a rope and a peg, was a Duel Disk that was fully activated and ready for use. It's blue and silver plastic parts looked surreal against the ancient stone, but what brought Atemu's attention forward was that there was a deck carefully set in the deck slot, and the card on the top was flipped over so that he could see what it was.

It was the Dark Magician. Even at the height that the Duel Disk was held at, Atemu could recognize that card from any distance—and that meant—

"You slime!" Atemu turned to face the man who seemed to be the leader, and showed him his clenched fist. "What have you done with Yugi!" The servant held up his hands in a mock attempt to calm the angered king down.

"No, it's not like that! I'm sure your little friend is fine!" Atemu was still unconvinced, and growled to show so. The other soldiers brought up their weapons as though preparing to attack, and so they remained at a stand-still as the leader shook his head casually. "Listen, the Queen has informed me only of this: that if you wish to proceed farther into her palace, that you would need your disk and your deck. But, the only way to get it—" he crouched down into a fighting stance, "is to defeat all of us without your precious monsters!"

Atemu looked at all of them—there had to have been at least thirty in that room, all armed with weapons of all sorts, and each of them looked like they could muscle him over. But one glance at the Duel Disk, at his deck and knowing that Yugi was somewhere in this awful place and had it taken away from him, made his mind frame very clear.

"So" Atemu said, his voice low as he hung his head, then he brought it up slowly as he glared at all the men with a venomous purple gaze, "this is a game your 'Queen' wants me to play, right?" Atemu clenched his fists, and then gave them all a deadly smirk.

"Then let's play."

---

"Let's begin!" Yugi shouted, and the arena around both him and Anzu became very cold and depleted of all light. Though it was already located in the Shadow Realm, for some reason the idea of a Shadow Game still followed over into this world of darkness as the haze that filled the air grew thicker and far more visible. Marik hung in the background by the steps, and Joey and Tristan stayed back behind Yugi at a safe distance, as the two competitors drew their hands.

"All right Yugi, I'm ready!" Anzu shouted.

**A: 4000 Y: 4000**

"Well, since you're gonna lose anyway, I'll allow you to go first" Yugi sneered in a way that Anzu knew the real Yugi would never do. Anzu nodded solemnly as she looked down at her deck.

_Well, if it works for Yugi_… she thought, _then Heart of the Cards, please come through for me this day_. She drew her first card and looked at it. _Not a bad draw, I guess_.

"I place one card face-down, and I end my turn." As Anzu placed her monster card in its appropriate slot, a face-down card sparkled in the air in front of Anzu, forming from pixels into reality. Of course, Anzu realized that this _was_ reality, and that the Shadow Realm was only recreating the looks of a holographic duel. Otherwise the monsters here would be perfectly, and dangerously, valid.

"So, starting out slow, eh?" Yugi stated coldly, and he took his draw. He glanced at the card and examined it, obviously pleased.

"Alright, I summon Obnoxious Celtic Guardian in attack mode!" Yugi placed a card on his Duel Disk, and in response an elf dressed in armor and carrying a large sword appears ready to launch itself at Anzu (**A:1400—D:1200**)

"Celtic Guardian, attack her face-down card! Heavy Slash Attack!" The elf ran forward, it's sword up over its shoulder as it sped for the monster. It sliced the card in half, to reveal a small blonde-hared girl wearing a black dress and witch's hat. She screamed as she was destroyed, but Anzu didn't look upset.

"Ha!" Yugi stated proudly. "I just got rid of your monster. I'm already taking the lead!" But then Yugi's eyes got wide as a sudden jolt of pain ran through his body—he growled uncharacteristically.

"What just happened?" he seethed, his eyes narrow as he spoke through his teeth. Anzu smiled good-naturedly.

"What happened was that _you_ attacked my Fire Sorcerer, and if I remove two cards from my hand from play" she placed two cards from her hand and removed them from play, "then you will lose 800 points due to her effect!"

The 800 points were lost, and Yugi growled again as his Life Points dropped. "This is nothing…" he hissed.

"That's not how the real Yugi would act—that's why I won't believe your lies. I'm not afraid of you" Anzu said confidently. There was one thing she knew—something that even _Yugi_ himself was not aware of: after the incident in the Virtual World with her battling one of the Big Five, Anzu had decided that it was time she updated her deck. And if what the Shadow Realm Yugi said was true, then this deck would be constructed just as her new one was at home.

_I might not do so bad after all_, she thought, but then she hated the way Yugi recovered so quickly and gave her a smirk that could easily match Yami Marik's.

"Okay Anzu, I'll give you credit for that minor setback" he said, pulling a few cards from his hand, "but it won't last you long in the Shadow Realm. I place two cards face-down and end my turn." Two face-down cards formed on Yugi's side of the field. Anzu grimaced as she took a card from her deck.

**A: 4000--- Y: 3200**

"My turn, then." She looked at the cards in her hand, and smiled slightly.

"I summon Fairy's Gift to the field!" A green fairy with butterfly wings appeared before Anzu. It squeaked in delight at being out on the field but quickly cowered as it took note of the Celtic Guardian ready to slice it in two. (**A: 1400—D: 1000**)

"What? Dat thing is so pathetic—Anzu, you should really consider getting a better deck!" Joey ridiculed from the background, accompanied by Tristan snickering. Anzu frowned.

"This is why I know you're fakes" she stated as she pulled a card from her hand. "Because if you were my real friends, then you'd realize that this card can be just as powerful as any with a little help!

"I play the card Elf's Light, and I equip it to my Fairy's Gift!" The green Spell card arose from the ground, showing the image of a fairy holding a bright golden light, and with a brilliant flash engulfed Fairy's Gift and transformed it. "With this card my fairy's attack points go up by 400 and her defense decreases by 200!" (**A: 1800—D: 800**)

"Attack Yugi's monster with Mystic Fairy Dust!" Fairy's Gift flew up over Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, and showered it with a greenish mist. The monster shivered at the touch of the dust before shattering into pixels! "And since her attack was less than 1900, the effect of Celtic Guardian doesn't kick in!"

Yugi growled uncharacteristically as his Life Points dropped, while Marik started clapping mockingly.

"Kukuku" he chimed, "you seem to have improved my dear…."

"I place one card face down and I end my turn" Anzu said as she slid a card into its slot on the Duel Disk.

So far things had been going well for her—apparently this fake Yugi was misjudging her skills as a duelist. Though she came off as weak and more like a cheerleader for the real duelists, Anzu knew that she had the potential to duel well just from watching Yugi and the others. She never thought she would have to face off with one of them—especially not the King of Games—but seeing as he was fake Anzu figured that he would not pose as big as a threat as the real Yugi. She only prayed that her assumptions were right.

Yugi sneered as he drew his next card. "Not bad Anzu—you're quite impressive. Looks like I've been underestimating you in this duel, but it's time I put that to an end! I play Dark Magic Curtain!" A strange red curtain with a skeleton-like figure on top appeared from a Spell card Yugi played. "By giving up half my Life Points, I can summon my favorite monster from the field! And I think you know what that is!"

"Oh no…" Anzu gasped, perfectly aware of what card Yugi was about to bring forth as he pulled it out of his deck.

"Here he is!" Yugi shouted as he slammed the card onto the field, "The Dark Magician!" A lightening bolt of purple shot down from the heavens and struck Dark Magic Curtain, which promptly glowed of an uncanny light. Suddenly a dark form shot forth from the curtain, and from within the dark haze emerged the Dark Magician, dressed in all his violet majesty and carrying a staff. (**A: 2500—D: 2100**)

"Already he has out the Dark Magician!" Marik exclaimed in a voice that made his slight shock seem like nonchalance—he chuckled softly as he smirked. "Little Yugi means business…."

"Oh great" Anzu moaned as she stared at the Dark Magician, with his cold green eyes gazing down at her with such a slate-like appeal. _Well, it looks like I'm doomed_.

"Are you scared now, Anzu?" Yugi asked as he grinned. "Scared to lose to me? You must be—you're already shaking from what I can see!"

"What?" Anzu asked, but as she looked down at her legs she could see that her knees were buckling a bit. Truth be told, she was indeed frightened—a couple of attacks from the Dark Magician and she would be toast. Still, even if she was scared, there was no way that it could stop her from taking Yugi down—not when Atemu and the others still needed her.

"You see—you're terrified. Not the kind of duelist that could defeat me!" Yugi said nastily, before shouting out, "Dark Magician, attack Fairy's Gift! Dark Magic Attack!" The magician raised his staff, its tip glowing with light, before shooting out a blast of dark magic that it directed at Anzu's monster. Just before the blast was to make contact, though, Anzu smiled.

"Sorry Yugi! I activate Waboku!" The Trap card lifted up, revealing three figures dressed in green robes and light blue cloaks. "It brings all damage inflicted upon my monster to zero this turn, keeping my Fairy's Gift safe!" The dark Magician's attack went through, but it fizzled out before any harm could come to Fairy's Gift. Anzu sighed as she watched Yugi hiss in anger.

"That won't last very long! I end my turn" he said to her, "Don't worry; I'll finish up this duel soon. Just wait till next turn!"

**A: 4000--- Y: 1400**

"We'll see about that" Anzu said calmly as she drew a card from her deck. "You see fake Yugi, I'm not the best duelist. I'm just some person who cheers her friends on when they need my support. But don't you see, that's what I'm dueling for now—my friends, and their support. And I know they're with me—from wherever they are, they're waiting for me to win this duel and get back to them! I know they are!"

"Anzu, dat's a lie! We want ya ta lose!" Joey yelled from the sidelines, but in response Anzu merely shook her head.

"And that's why you're **not** my friends" she said. She looked down at her hand and saw an old friend that she had used back in her duel with one of the Big Five. She recalled how it was one of Yugi's favorite cards—now was as good a time as any to use it.

"First I summon Maha Valio to the field in attack mode!" Something similar to a man appeared on Anzu's side of the arena, wearing blue robes as it sat cross-legged, two blue, blade-like wings coming from its back. (**A: 1550—D: 1400**)

"So?" Yugi scoffed. "It's still a weak monster, unless you're planning on—"

"That's what I plan on" Anzu said boldly, as she pulled another card from her hand, "because now I equip Maha Valio with United We Stand! It'll raise its attack points by 800 for the number of monsters I have face up on the field. I have two, but with Maha Valio's special ability, it gets an extra 500 points just for being equipped with an Equip Card!"

Maha Valio glowed with a white light, which lit up the darkness around it slightly. (**A: 3650—D: 3000**)

"What!" Joey exclaimed, and Tristan appeared just as agitated.

Yugi, whose face was once painted with a malevolent smirk, now dropped into one of disbelief. From the stairs Marik let out a low whistle.

_Little Yugi's dead now_, he thought as he over-saw the duel from his position by the entrance. _Anzu's Maha Valio will crush his Dark Magician, and reduce his Life Points to 350_…_ then Anzu will finish him off with her Fairy's Gift. He's a goner, unless he has something planned with those two face-downs_….

_Attacking Yugi's Dark Magician is risky, but it appears that that is a risk that little Anzu is willing to take_.

Anzu looked on as her two powerful monsters waited to attack. _This is it—if I don't attack now I may not get another chance. He has those face-downs, but I have to take the possibility and go for it. There's no point in cowering now_!

"And now" Anzu shouted as she pointed at Dark Magician, "Maha Valio, attack Yugi's monster! Mystical Magic Assault!" Maha Valio stood up from its sitting position, and with its eyes closed still it raised both its arms and shot forth a stream of white light. It headed straight for the defenseless Dark Magician, almost ready to make contact, when Yugi's grimace returned to a devilish grin.

"You've activated Sakurestu Armor! Now I can destroy your Maha Valio, and my Dark Magician is unharmed." The Trap card, which displayed the image of a man walking through a battlefield of blood, lifted up from the ground. Maha Valio stopped its attack and shook violently, before falling to pieces. United We Stand also shattered with the blast as Anzu covered her face from the explosion.

"What now, Anzu?" Yugi asked mockingly. She glared at the fake Yugi with slight annoyance at the way he made Yugi's voice seem hideously baleful.

"I…" she looked back at her face-down. "I activate this: Swords of Revealing Light! You won't be able to attack me for three turns." The Spell card activated, and many illuminated swords fell from the sky, surrounding Yugi and his monsters. Yugi shivered at the sharp bolts of light that held him tight.

"I end my turn" Anzu said. She had no other moves left—there were no more cards left in her hand, and she was only lucky that she had set that card down earlier as a back-up. It was supposed to be a sort of bluff, so that Yugi might hold back an attack or two—that failed to be the case but at least now she could hold him off as she worked on getting herself back from that last fatal move.

**A: 4000--- Y: 1400**

"You're only prolonging the inevitable…" Yugi chimed as he drew from his deck. "I now summon Skilled Dark Magician in attack mode—even if he can't attack, you won't be able to get past him with your fairy." A magician in slithery metallic robes appeared, carrying a metal staff. (**A: 1900—D: 1700**) "Just remember, Anzu—I'm still the King of Games. I defeated Atemu, the reigning king for over five thousand years! If he was taken down by me, then you have no hope of ever accomplishing your goals. You've just been lucky so far…." He gave her a mocking smirk, one similar to the sweet similes he used to send her back home. "And now it's your turn."

Anzu nodded as she drew her next card. It was Mystical Elf—a good defense for now but once her swords gave out it wouldn't be long before Yugi's Dark Magician tore right through her. Still, she would need as many monsters as possible to hold back the possible on slaughter.

"I set this card face-down, and I end my turn" she said solemnly as she placed Mystical Elf in face-down defense mode. She knew what Yugi said was true—she really _didn't_ have a chance at defeating him. Maybe a lucky draw or two would do it, but would that really make a difference? She had been fortunate so far, with all her good draws and strong cards. Now it was only a matter of time before Yugi's superior skills out-weighed her good fortune ten-fold.

She looked on at the field. Both she and Yugi had two monsters—Anzu had Fairy's Gift and a face-down Mystical Elf while Yugi had Dark Magician and his Skilled Dark Magician. Yugi's cards could easily out-muscle her own, if Swords of Revealing Light were removed from the field. Yugi also had a face-down card on his side of the field—it could have been another trap to destroy her monsters, so she had to be cautious. One wrong move and she would certainly be a goner.

_At least I still have two monsters on the field_… she thought nervously as Yugi took his draw.

"My draw!" he said. He grinned at what he drew, and Anzu gulped. "Now the tables will turn, Anzu! I activate Snatch Steal, a card that will allow me to steal one of your monsters and bring it to my side of the field!

"And I choose Fairy's Gift!" The spell card activated, and Anzu's monster instantly floated over to Yugi, so that it now hovered beside Dark Magician. Anzu bared her teeth but she didn't feel too worried—after all, he still couldn't attack her and with Snatch Steal's effect, she would gain 1000 points each round for him using it. She still had a bit of hope.

But judging by the way that Yugi was smirking, she doubted that she could have such luck.

"But that's not all! Now I'll sacrifice Fairy's Gift" the pixie disappeared in a flash of light, "to bring Summoned Skull to the field! Come out!" The temple grew darker as the ground shook a little. Suddenly thunder and lightening erupted to form a dark and menacing beast with bat wings and a skeleton body that was powerful and could tear anything apart. It screeched with a terrifying sound. (**A: 2500—D: 1200**)

"No…" Anzu breathed as she stared up at the towering being. Yugi snickered.

"It only gets worse from here, Anzu" he said darkly. "You see what I meant about how this would end shortly? Soon those swords will vanish from the field, and you will be left with only a few monsters defending you—nothing for my monsters to handle. Face it, Anzu, you're only buying time. There is nothing powerful enough in there for you to possibly take me down!" He began to cackle, but it was more of a childish giggle that sent chills up Anzu's spine.

She said nothing as she stared at the ground.

"Fine… we'll end this quietly then. Your turn, Anzu" Yugi said.

Anzu drew, but she didn't want to see her next card. Was there much of point anymore? Yugi was right—she wasn't going to win this and she knew it. She hardly had a hand, any monsters, or spells or traps… Yugi had three powerful monsters and a face-down that would tear her to shreds if she dared to attack. What would she do when her swords were gone, and Yugi was free from his bondage? What would she do then?

_This is all I can do_, she thought miserably,_ nothing_. She felt tears come on as she realized the tremendous weight of the situation—if she lost, then she would be forever trapped in the Shadow Realm to be absorbed and mutilated until she no longer existed. And it wasn't just her who would suffer—she knew that even if Samira was defeated, Atemu and the others would grieve for her loss. She couldn't let them undergo such feelings knowing that she had been defeated and there was nothing they could do to help. She didn't want them to be sad.

It was too late for her. How could she have been foolish enough to think she could win against Yugi, the King of Games? Even if this was a fake created by the shadows, he could still out-duel her without much of an effort—she may have gotten a lucky lead but that was all coming to end now. There wasn't much left for her to do but bear through it… after all, her fighting would be useless when the end was inevitable.

She looked at the dark mist that swirled about the ground and thought about how that was where she would end up in a few turns. She felt all her hope dying away—she didn't even care what card she drew—and she even thought about conceding to make things a little easier—when she heard a gruff voice speak out from behind her.

"So, the mighty cheerleader won't even put up a fight? What a pity" she heard Marik say in a dark, emotionless tone. "You obviously have no faith in what you preach. I think the Pharaoh and his friends would be very disappointed in you."

Anzu didn't even bother to look up. "I know… but there isn't anything I can do. I'm going to lose."

"And why should that stop you?" he hissed, this time more persistent. "I thought you cared about your friends— aren't you supposed to be the one who spats all the talk about how friendship will save you and that crap? What about now, Anzu? Can't it help you now?"

Anzu knew what he meant… maybe there was hope. "But… Yugi beat Atemu, and Atemu was the great Game King. How can I defeat someone like that?"

This time Marik let out a small chuckle, as he gently spoke. "Well, that didn't seem to stop little Yugi when _he_ faced the great King of Games. And you had faith in his victory then… I doubt they would appreciate it if you gave up on them now."

For some reason the last few words clicked and Anzu felt a sharp twinge in her heart—Marik was right, why should she give up? Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Atemu were waiting for her, watching over her even as she stood here now. She glanced down at her hand—the one where they drew their symbol of friendship—and she could feel it pulsate with the hearts of all her friends. Of everyone she cared for back home.

_How could I have been so foolish? I still have a chance—even if I'm not some great duelist like Yugi or Joey, I might be able to defeat this shadow realm clone… because my friends are all behind me on this, and their strength is with me now too_. She closed her eyes as she imagined all of them, standing at her side. She smiled at the warmth of their presence.

_I'll win for you guys. I promise_.

"Thanks Marik" Anzu said, now feeling confident as she looked down at the card in her hand. "Now I think I can win this—thanks for what you said."

"Heh, your very welcome, my dear", Marik said, before laughing to himself inside.

_Kukuku_…_ silly girl, you don't think I'm being nice for the fun of it, do you_? _Do you think that I'm helping you out for my health?_He watched her on the battlefield, and he smirked evilly. _My dear, you are merely a pawn in this little game. I wouldn't help you in the least, but I will now, when you winning could finally bring me the chance I need—the chance to escape this horrible prison! As soon as you win this, the door__of lightto the other realm will open… that's when I will finally return to the real world! Just you wait and see, Pharaoh—I'll be back stronger than I was before, and the world will fall to darkness for sure this round..._

"Alright Yugi, it's time for me to take you down!" Anzu shouted.

_Kukuku_… _just keeping going, my dear… just keep going and win_….

---

Author's Note: _Oh this is getting along SO great! Sorry again for the long wait—wow it was nearly a month since I updated… well, no matter! Just review me faster than I updated and all will be well, yes-siree! _


	53. Ups and Downs, All Around

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Well, this has been a tough four days, but behold, I HAVE UPDATED! For some reason my document manager wouldn't let me upload chappies, but I got a tip from spiritfire (I owe you my thanks times infinite) that exporting a chappie from my story, and then copy/ pasting the new chappie in would do the trick! I love you spiritfire! _

_Also, immense thankies to Elfbrat18 and Maridel for also helping me out… I couldn't have survived these four days without you all! You rock! _

_Now onto the story! FINALLY! _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart **

**By: Angel's Nocturne **

**Chapter 53: Ups and Downs, All Around…. **

The fight had already started out very smoothly for Kaiba—he had no time for these distractions that were Samira's pathetic soldiers, and if there was one thing Kaiba knew now, it was that he would refuse defeat from these scoundrels. He had knocked their leader square in the jaw; if that wasn't warning enough, then he would have to instill that fact into them a few more times. No matter to Kaiba though—with all his rage aimed at Samira building, he needed to let off some steam.

They had all charged at him, some with weapons and some with just their bare fists. The numbers were completely at the soldiers' advantage, with a good twenty or so to one—the odds appeared horrible for the CEO as he braced himself for his first victims. They ran towards him confidently, yelling and laughing as they sped at the brunette in a reckless fashion. Kaiba smirked at their messy teamwork and effort.

_What deadbeats_… _I'll put them out of their misery. _Soon the first one had approached, a fist in the air as he shot his arm forward. In a swift motion, one too fast for the human eye to see clearly, Kaiba managed to pull the slave's arm behind his body and held the man in front of him like a human shield. Some of the other servants halted their attack, afraid to hurt their own comrade, but that was the opening Kaiba was waiting for. He shoved his hostage into the nearest guy and kicked one of the others.

The leader was standing now after having his jaw used for a punching bag, watching as his soldiers put forth their best efforts against this foreign man. He observed how Kaiba took two clueless fighters and skull bashed the both of them together—they were both out cold before they hit the sand with a thud; despite how clumsy his forces appeared the official was unfazed, watching as he stood confidently near the jeeps and the mind slaves. He smirked maliciously at the fight.

_This shouldn't take too long_, he though to himself.

Meanwhile, Kaiba clenched his fist nervously as he was now surrounded by a large group of the men who managed to stay out of his grip. They had him trapped in a circle, all of them grinning and chuckling as they inched closer and closer. Kaiba, in a defensive stance, waited for the right moment, just waiting for them to come a little nearer….

"You gonna beat us up, Mister?" one of the smaller men asked, his voice like nails on a chalkboard as he snickered. Kaiba was silent, failing to respond—this brought a glint to the man's eye. "No? Well, then allow us to do the beatin'!" With a battle cry they all ran forward, whistling and cheering as they used up the space between them and Kaiba. Suddenly Kaiba's azure eyes narrowed.

_Now_! From the pocket inside his purple trench coat he pulled out the one thing that he held nearly as dear as he did his little brother and company—his dueling deck. With his cards in his hand he used an old trick that he had used on several occasion to get himself out of many jams; he didn't like to do this, but it was the only way he could fend off these fiends. In near seconds he was able to throw one of his cards like a ninja star, and in only a second's time after that he heard the scream of a soldier as the man held his face, blood seeping out of a sharp paper-cut wound around his neck.

Some of the other fighters looked on at their fellow man in shock, as the warm blood ran into hot sand, bubbling with the sun's light. With them watching the man die, Kaiba threw a few more of his cards at them, gashing them across the face and neck. He smirked as they held their wounds in slight agony, but it wasn't enough to stop the majority who got off with smaller injuries. Kaiba took them out quickly, hitting one in the groin and another with a kick to the head. It wasn't long before many of the soldiers were unconscious or too wounded to continue.

"Heh, amateurs…" Kaiba mumbled as he pulled a card out of one man's throat, where it got lodged in his vocal cords. It was his Vorse Raider, now covered in blood and sand—Kaiba scowled as he turned his gaze to the jeeps, and in turn, the leader of the group. All was silent as they stared at each other with much distain, and Kaiba sauntered towards him as he grabbed one of the fallen soldier's clubs. He held the weapon in his hand, and he glared at the man as he approached.

"Now, I'll say this one more time" Kaiba growled as he came closer, his shadow now falling over the man as he edged near. "I just want my brother back, and a pathetic worm such as yourself has no right trying to stop me." In a mad anger Kaiba raised the club so that he was ready to use it, and his eyes held a resentful malice as he spat out dangerously, "Any final words before I beat in your skull?"

The leader, who should have been terrified of the fate that was about to befall him, just stood there with a confident smirk on his lips; without an inkling of fear he ran his fingers through his brown locks.

"How about, don't let you guard down?" the leader said.

Kaiba didn't understand at first, but his answer came thundering down by means of a baseball bat to his head. From behind him a tired servant held the weapon as he slammed it down on Kaiba, and with the sickening sound of the harsh contact Kaiba was instantly knocked unconscious—his blue eyes glazed over as his body became rigid, and then he fell to the ground in a swift moment. He didn't even know what hit him as his vision hazed away into darkness….

Silence reigned supreme for a while as the leader let out a heavy sigh, and the other soldier slowly dropped his weapon in both terror and relief. Finally the leader spit on the ground and rubbed the excess spittle from his mouth with his gloved left hand.

"Thank God for what you just did, soldier" he hissed, as the boy who knocked out the CEO panted from the nervous venture he just accomplished. "That sonofabitch woulda killed us all if ya hadn't done that… is everyone okay?" From all around there were grunts and groans as supposedly out-cold men staggered to their feet, nursing their cuts and bruises that were all obtained from one raging man. Slowly the many of them climbed into their jeeps, mumbling about the fight and how they could have done better. The leader called a few over from his own jeep, and they made their way to him without complaints.

"You see that sonofabitch there?" he pointed to Kaiba's unmoving form, and they all nodded with distain in their eyes. "Well, I think he would be a good addition to the Queen's arsenal—he was a tough fighter, and I wouldn't mind seein' him work for us. Put him in the jeep and take him back to the dungeons—we can always use more servants for Her Majesty anyways."

Without question or acknowledgment, the four men who had been in that particular team instantly sprinted over to where Kaiba's body lay. Together they lifted him up and carried him over to the jeep, where they flung his body inside it without seemingly being aware that it was a body they were dumping. Nonetheless, they coldly threw him into the backseat; two men seated themselves up at the front, and two men sat on the tops on the backseats so as not to be near the bastard that they had to be close to for the journey back to base. With a salute to their officer, the jeep started up, and with a cloud of sand billowing behind them they rode off in the opposite direction of where they were once going, as they now went back to the palace. The leader smirked as he watched them go, then turned back to the rest of his squad in the other two jeeps.

"Alright, now that was just a taste of what you'll be getting' yourself into today" he announced as he climbed into the jeep closest to him, standing up in it so that all his soldiers could see him. "If he's from that camp the Queen told us to go to, then there might be more bastards like that in store for us. But we're far better than them, and y'all know that! Let's show 'em what we got, boys!" Rowdy cheers were heard from all the free servants as the mind slaves sat there obedient and quiet, but still the atmosphere rained with confidence and domination. The jeeps were started, roars were screeched into the twilight sky, and the two vehicles were off, still zooming towards their final destination—where Bakura, Ishizu, Odion, and Anzu awaited.

---

**A: 4000---Y: 1400 **

After she received back-up from the most unlikely of places, Anzu felt the weight of all that was upon her lift a bit. _I've had so much doubt, so much anguish from this duel_, she thought as she straightened herself up, recalling all of Yami Marik's encouraging words and the support of her friends from wherever they were now. _I can't lose this duel, no matter how much this fake Yugi _discourages_ me, no matter how bleak the possibilities seem. I may feel fear, I may feel regret or anger, but that can't stop me from getting out of this realm, and saving my friends once and for all. It's time for me to step up to the plate, and face this illusion with all I have_!

"Alright Yugi, it's time for me to take you down!" Anzu shouted, and she peered down at the card in her hand. _And I may have a chance yet_!

"I play Pot of Greed!" she announced as the green Spell card activated, showing the image of a whimsical pot with a strange face on it. "With it, I can draw two cards!"

"Big deal!" Joey yelled from the background, and Yugi only observed her silently as she drew two cards from her deck. She examined them, and then played one from her hand.

"Next I play Graceful Charity! I can draw three cards, so long as I discard two to my Graveyard afterwards." She drew another three cards from her deck, and after she scanned her hand, placed two of her cards in the Graveyard slot. Marik cocked an eyebrow at this.

_Hmm… why would little Anzu do that? She didn't improve the number of cards in her hand, and now has two in the Graveyard_. He frowned. _She must have something planned_.

"I play two cards face-down…" she positioned one monster in face-down defense mode and one Spell or Trap card face-down on her side of the field, "and I end my turn."

"My draw!" Yugi said as he looked at the card in his hand, brining the total number of cards in his hand to three. "Anzu, only one turn left before your swords of light vanish from the field… the clock is ticking on how long you can last."

"Just make your move, Yugi" she said, slightly nerved by his cruel words, but nonetheless strong against his attempts to scare her so. He smirked broadly.

"No problem, I'll just sacrifice my Skilled Dark Magician then!" His monster faded away in a flurry of pixels and lights. Yugi took out a card from his hand and slammed it on the Duel Disk. "Now I can bring out the one and only, Dark Magician Girl!" A burst of gentle pink light appeared, before transforming into a blonde-haired girl in a skimp blue and pink outfit, wearing a hat similar to the Dark Magician's and carrying a small staff. Anzu was used to seeing the Dark Magician Girl come out with a cheerful disposition and a huge smile on her face, but this time was different—instead she showed a hint of sadness and a reluctance to be there. Yugi didn't seem to notice.

"Now I'll place one card face-down, and that's all I will do for now." A card appeared face-down next to Yugi's other mystery Spell or Trap, and Anzu gulped a little at the thought of what awaited her under those cards. "Go ahead and draw, Anzu. Time is of the essence."

As Yugi said this, signaling the end of his turn, there was an increase in the number of shadows and lurked about the temple room—Anzu was curious as to why, until she noticed the real reason… her swords were fading away. The only real source of light in the room, they were dissolving away into nothingness as their light diffused, snuffed out like a candle flame. In a matter of moments they were gone, fizzled out, leaving the two duelists back in a realm of near darkness. Anzu shivered as the darkness made her skin tingle, and as her eyes swarmed about the dark room she looked down at her deck, knowing very well that this next draw was crucial to the duel.

If she drew the wrong card, Yugi could very well attack her two monsters on the field, and then strike her with the third so that her Life Points would take a serious beating. She did have the ability to delay that, though, as the face-down card she had set earlier was Mirror Force—as long as Yugi's face-downs didn't negate her card, she could push him off for a turn and destroy his monsters. Still, there was that risk, and now was as good a time as any with two monsters on the field already, to take control of this duel… all she needed was the right card….

She closed her eyes and concentrated on her friends—on Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Ryou, Ishizu, Odion, on everyone she could think of… and especially Atemu. She imagined them all placing their hands on her deck, and smiling at her so as to give her the confidence she needed.

"_You can do it, Anzu!_" Yugi said cheerfully.

"_We believe in you_!" Tristan said, "_Now kick some ass_!"

"_Show dat fake Yug whose the boss, Anzu_!" Joey encouraged, with a fist in the air.

"_The cards will come through for you, Anzu_" Atemu said, staring deep into her eyes. He placed his other hand on her shoulder. "_Just believe in your heart, and the cards will listen…we have faith in you_."

She smiled back as she placed her hand on the deck, picking up the card that lay on the top. Her heart beat slightly faster as she felt the card under her fingers, griping the edge of it with her nails as she lifted it from the deck….

_Heart of the Cards_, she said in her mind, _guide me, please_!

She drew the card.

She was still so nervous as she let her eyes open for a moment, just barely letting her see the card that she now held in her hand. Finally she fully opened her eyes, and saw what she had left to play.

"Well? Have anything decent in that hand of yours?" Yugi sneered, thinking it to be nothing but a regular draw that just occurred. He realized his mistake by the look of confidence in Anzu's azure eyes.

"More than decent, Yugi!" Anzu shouted boldly, before making her move. "I sacrifice my two face-down monsters…" the two cards vanished in a flurry of lights, and those lights recombined into a figure that floated high above the duel arena, "… to summon, one of the most powerful cards I own, **Guardian Angel Joan**!"

The lights swirled about as a solid person was formed from them, revealing a woman with short reddish-blonde hair, wearing a tight-fitting white outfit made for battle. Royal gold laced the breastplates that made up the armor she wore around her chest, and two ribbons of gold and white hung off the woman's arms from which they were so tightly wrapped around. To make her even more stunning, a pair of translucent white wings, as clear as glass and as thin as a single layer of silk, formed from back so that she floated above the temple floor, and her mere presence illuminated the room with her breath-taking holiness. (A: **2800**—D: **2000**)

Yami Marik, who was still standing by the stairs that led up to the temple floor, shielded his eyes slightly from the holy light that emanated from Anzu's latest monsters. Though the light burned his eyes and his own being, he smirked nonetheless.

_With a monster like that, little Anzu may just be victorious_. He chuckled a little to himself. _And it will all benefit me in the end! Kukuku_….

Yugi, who had once been as cold as a block of ice, now stared up at the angelic being with a hint of fear and awe at the same instant. Joey and Tristan appeared the same way, and they backed away from the brilliance that was the holy light. Anzu simply basked in it, allowing the warmth of the radiance to shower over her and keep the darkness at bay.

"You see Yugi?" Anzu said as Guardian Angel Joan descended a little so that she now stood in front of her master. "There is no way I'm going to let you win today. The Heart of the Cards, and my friends, are helping me out in this duel—there's no way I can lose when I have them at my side!"

"We'll see about that…." Yugi muttered under his breath, too quiet for Anzu to hear. She looked at all three of Yugi's monsters, pondering which one she should take out in her attack. The obvious choice was the Dark Magician Girl, as she would provide the most damage from the Battle Phase, but for some reason Anzu just couldn't find it in her heart to kill the monster.

_Maybe it's because of Mana_, she thought as she remembered the brown-haired girl from Ancient Egypt—she was Maahado's apprentice and the one who could summon the Dark Magician Girl. Anzu recalled how nice that girl was to all of them, and she shook her head. _I can't attack her, it would be like attacking Mana_. _I should aim my attack at the Summoned Skull instead_—

"_No, Anzu! Attack me_!" a kind voice pleaded in her thoughts. Anzu's eyes grew wide as she tried to discover where the voice came from, only to meet her azure orbs with that of the Dark Magician Girl's. Anzu finally made the connection.

_Is that you, Dark Magician Girl_? She asked in her head, her gaze directed at the female monster. The Dark Magician Girl nodded and smile.

"_Yes, it's me_. _And I want you to attack me, Anzu_." Anzu blinked, confused.

_But, why? I don't want to attack you, to send you to the Graveyard_—

"_You **have**__to, Anzu. I don't want to serve this fake Yugi, this fake reincarnation of the Pharaoh_…" she glanced down at Yugi, and shivered; Dark Magician Girl gave the brunette a stern look. "_For the sake of this duel, and for everyone back in the real realm, please Anzu, you need to destroy this imposter! I hate serving this fake, he doesn't have the right heart… it pains me to even be on his side of the field_! _Maahado hates it as well—we want to be free from this as much as you. Take us out, and win this one for the rest of the world_!"

Anzu looked at the Dark Magician Girl, her head downcast as she considered what the Duel Monster had said. Finally she gave a firm nod.

_I will, Mana, don't worry_. The Dark Magician Girl gave her a wink.

"_Thanks_" she saidAnzu raised her arm forward, pointing at the Dark Magician Girl.

"Alright, here goes nothing! Guardian Angel Joan, attack the Dark Magician Girl with Holy Crusade!" The angel nodded, and then from out of nowhere pulled a sword from a golden sheath, making a hiss as the blade appeared. It was a shiny gold color, with a silver hilt that sparkled, just like the rest if it, in the angel's holy light. Grasping the sword tightly, Guardian Angel Joan flew into the air, and sped down like a missile towards the Dark Magician Girl, sword in hand. Just as she was about to strike, though, Yugi cackled as he activated one of his face-downs.

"A reckless move, Anzu!" he shouted, "because I still have this! The Trap card, Magic Cylinder!" Anzu's eyes went wide, but it was too late to call back her attack anyways. From Guardian Angel Joan's sword came a stream of light, and it burst from the blade like a laser. Two large cylinders appeared on Dark Magician Girl's shoulders, like giant mechanical cannons… Dark Magician Girl appeared just as surprised as Anzu was, but she was unable to stop the Trap card's magic. The light from Guardian Angel Joan's attack flew straight into the left cylinder, and all was quiet… until the second cylinder was suddenly alit with the same light as Joan's attack. It hummed as the light built itself up, and Anzu watched in terror as it was aimed right at her.

_Oh no_….

The light, in a climatic silence, suddenly built up enough fire power, and shot forth looking nearly as strong as a Blue Eye's White Lightening Attack. It engulfed Anzu in its light, and Anzu screamed in pain as she was hit by the blast at full force. Marik side-stepped out of the way as the light extended even out of the temple, illuminating a pathway through the epitome of darkness that was the Shadow Realm for a good hundred feet.

It didn't stop for a while, and when the blast from the cylinder was finally out of juice, what it left behind was not a pleasant sight. The path of which the light took was steaming, as light strands of smoke hissed off the floor and only added to the Shadow Realm's atmosphere. Anzu was hunched over, barely looking conscious at all as her upper body was flopped over—only her legs stayed steady, and if that wasn't the case then she would be on the floor. From her body hissed strands of smoke as well, as her arms laid limp at her sides and her head hung uselessly from her body. Yugi cackled at the state she was in.

"Did that burn, Anzu? The sting of your own medicine?" Anzu was silent, but her body visibly shook as she tried to move. She was still too weak. "Face it—one powerful attack, and you're already out of the running. You never had what it takes to be a duelist, and to try and face me was a foolish mistake. You might as well just stay in that position" he sneered, "as it will be easier for the shadows to take you if you're in submission!"

He chuckled in his child-like manner, and would have continued to do so, had it not been for a sudden groan that came from the form that was Anzu. Her arms tightened, and her upper body started to waver—slowly, though she struggled as she did so, Anzu began to arise as she straightened her back and stood tall. She appeared slightly bruised and charred, and she staggered a bit as she wobbled on her legs, exhausted. However, the last attack didn't do anything to drown the smoldering gaze that she held in her azure eyes. She glared at Yugi as she brought back up her Duel Disk and stood proudly, despite her panting and obvious effort to stay up-right.

"Yugi…" she whispered, but then her voice grew with unwavering strength. "I already told you… no matter what… you will never… beat me!" Anzu smiled, and her eyes blazed with something that she never truly had in this fight. It was determination, and it was ironic how the most devastating attack she could ever handle had awakened it so. Yugi was taken aback by this, as well as Marik and the others, but the tri-colored haired quickly recovered as he gave her an equally determined glare in return.

"So, is that all?" he asked mockingly.

"I end my turn" Anzu said sternly.

**A: 1200---Y: 1400 **

Yugi drew a card from his deck.

_Perfect_, he thought as he examined the card he just drew. _This will get rid of her monster_.

"I play the Spell card, Tribute to the Doomed!" Yugi shouted, and his Spell card appeared on the field. "I can destroy one monster, so long as I discard from my hand. And I choose your Guardian Angel Joan!" He smiled maliciously as he took one of his cards out of his hand, and a mummified hand appeared on the field; in a quick motion it grabbed Guardian Angel Joan and pulled her into the floor, into the Graveyard. "Now you are defenseless to my attacks—you're finished now!

"I attack you now with Dark Magician! Dark Magic Attack!" The Dark Magician zoomed forward, his purple staff in hand as he raised it to the ceiling. It glowed with a black and purple light, before shooting this essence directly towards Anzu. It was about to make contact, when it suddenly bounced off of an invisible force field that surrounded Anzu—the magic headed for Yugi's monsters instead of her, and in a catastrophic blast destroyed all three of them in seconds. Yugi became infuriated.

"What did you do?" he growled, and when the smoke cleared it revealed that Anzu had activated her face-down—Mirror Force. The tri-colored haired boy hissed indignantly. "You'll pay for that…."

"I'll take that has, you end your turn?" Anzu said, and Yugi nodded reluctantly. "Alright, then my draw!"

Anzu drew a card, and looked at it. She sighed a little. _I hope this works_….

"I place one card face-down, and I end my turn." A monster appeared on her side of the field, face-down and in defense mode. Yugi drew his card now, his hand a total of two cards.

"Well, well, well…" he said as he looked from his hand, to the only card on Anzu's side of the field. "I guess the end has come sooner than expected. You only have that card to protect you, and once it's gone you'll be unprotected—there's no way that you will be able to draw another card to save you. Your luck has officially **run out**!" He placed a card on the Duel Disk.

"I summon Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress!" As Yugi placed the card on its slot, a mass of pixels and light produced a medium-sized blue dragon, with long claws and razor-sharp teeth as it snarled menacingly. (A: **1400**—D: **1200**)

"And now, my dragon, take out her face-down card!" The blue monster flew straight into the air, high up to the temple ceiling—it was so high up in the darkness that Anzu could no longer see it… that was, until it went into a nose-dive, heading directly for her monster. It came down too fast for anyone to see it for more than a blue blur, and it smashed itself into the card, breaking it into pixels. As the dragon floated back to Yugi's side of the field, Yugi looked to see which monster he had destroyed.

"Which one of your creatures have I demolished?" he pondered, but his smirk dropped as he saw what it was. "That isn't—"

It was a girl with dark pinkish hair tied in an up-ponytail, and wearing a purple, red, and pink robe-like outfit. She carried a gold staff with a crescent moon at its tip, and she screamed as she shattered from the attack. Anzu smiled at Yugi.

"I'm glad you recognize my Magician of Faith" she said, and her Graveyard suddenly glowed with a yellow light. "Because, then you must be aware of it's special ability—if it is flipped face-up, which it was when you attacked, then I can take one Spell card from my Graveyard and add it to my hand." Her Graveyard glowed even brighter, and a card appeared in Anzu's hand. "You never saw me use this card, but it was still in my Graveyard. Do you end your turn now?"

Yugi grimaced. Besides his Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress, the only other card Yugi had on the field was Michizure, but it wouldn't do him any good if Anzu had the card he thought she had. The card in his hand was another useless Trap card… he really didn't have another move.

"Yes" he responded bitterly, "I end my turn."

"Alright then" Anzu said as she drew a card from her deck, "it's time for me to finish this duel!" Whatever she drew now really wouldn't make much of a difference, for the Spell card she got from her Magician of Faith was all she needed. Still….

"I activate the card I just drew, Giant Trunade!" A huge gale came out of nowhere, sweeping Yugi's face-down card off the field and back into his hand. "It brings Spells and Traps and puts them back in their owner's hands—just thought I'd take some pre-caution before I do this!" She slipped a Spell card into her Duel Disk, and revealed it.

"I activate… Monster Reborn!"

"WHAT!" Yugi screeched, and Marik's lavender eyes opened up a little from their half-lidded normalcy.

_This battle is finally over_, he thought as he watched on.

"When did you use that card? I never saw you use Monster Reborn!" Yugi exclaimed, but Anzu just shook her head.

"You're right—I didn't use it. But you have to remember that when I used Graceful Charity, I discarded two cards to my Graveyard, and one of them happened to be this." Yugi gaped now at what had just happened, so Anzu just continued. "And I think you already know who I'm going to bring back, don't you? Well, here she is again, the powerful Guardian Angel Joan!"

Monster Reborn glowed ominously, before shimmering in a dazzling light that brought forth the angelic woman again. Sword in hand, and transparent wings spread high, Guardian Angel Joan coldly looked at the Winged Dragon, who cowered under her gaze.

"Time for the final attack!" Anzu shouted. "Guardian Angel Joan, take out his dragon and win this duel! HOLY CRUSADE!" Above them the ceiling opened up with a brilliant light from above, as though the clouds parted to reveal a shining sun above. This spotlight shined over Joan, who raised her blade to the sky… and as the sword turned into a weapon of pure light, she shot from it a swirling mass of heavenly light that sped at the Winged Dragon and wiped him off the field in a matter of seconds. The beam hit Yugi, and pushed him to the ground, sapping out the last of his Life Points as he cried out in pain.

"NO!" he yelled as his face looked towards the sky in anguish. The light eventually died away, and Yugi fell to his knees.

**A: 1200---Y: 0 **

"Yug!" Joey yelled, and as Tristan and Joey approached their friend in mock worry, Anzu was shocked as she watched their bodies suddenly disintegrate into the shadows, as though they were never really there. Without thought, she ran over to the fake Yugi as he struggled to get back to his feet, his body also beginning to evaporate into nothing. He looked up at her with cold purple eyes.

"Anzu… you saw through our illusions, and your heart was strong enough to overcome your greatest obstacles… you are worthy of the door to the light…." He was now nothing more than an outline of his former self, and as he began to vanish into the shadows his voice was now nothing more than a distant whisper. "The real Yugi, your friend… he waits for you now… but…beware the shadow…_ that lurks behind you_—"

And then he was gone, his essence absorbed back into the shadows as though he was merely sand in the breeze. Anzu almost felt sorry for him, but knew better than to spend time pitying some figment of the shadows. She had work to do back home.

"Good work, Anzu" she heard Yami Marik say behind her. She turned to see him sauntering from the stairs, approaching her with his hands in his pants pockets and a smirk on his tanned face. "It seems you are not as weak as you seem to have thought."

"No, not at all" she admitted, and as Marik came up to stand beside her, she turned her face back to the end of the temple, only to see an empty room, just like before. "So, what do I do now?"

"Just wait" he said calmly. "Perhaps we'll see soon enough."

"See what?" Anzu asked, but as soon as she asked this, a loud hum resonated throughout the temple room. Anzu silenced herself as both Marik and herself looked to the ceiling of the room, where a pinprick of light dazzled brightly like a firefly in the midsummer twilight. It grew larger, soon becoming a portal of light above them, and Anzu stared at it in awe.

"Is that the door?" she asked in amazement. She sensed Marik nod.

"I think it might be." As they watched the brilliant portal, the temple around them dissolved into nothing, and all around them became a world of pure darkness—from every angle there was pitch blackness, all except for the doorway of light above their heads. They didn't take notice until a little while after, but at that point Anzu didn't care as she started to walk so that she was directly in the path of the light. She kept her head up as she walked, her eyes glowing azure under the wondrous light. She was so mesmerized by it that she failed to notice when the blackness beneath her feet started to bubble and swirl, so much so that without warning, it grabbed her legs and yanked her into its murky depths.

Anzu was pulled from her trance and looked down as nearly all of her lower body was now submerged beneath some sort of black goo—the material of solid shadows. Her arms were stuck too, and she was sinking deeper into it—her eyes were wide with terror as she struggled in panic. She pulled and screamed as she yanked an arm free and tried to lift herself up.

"Marik, help me!" she cried out, but when she heard no answer she called again. "Marik, please, help me!" This time she was answered with a low chuckle, one that was directly behind her—she whipped her head around to see Yami Marik watching her sink into the puddle of muck, and there was a large smile gracing his distorted face. Anzu gasped in fright.

"Marik, what are you doing? Help me!" she yelled, but he only laughed as his hand moved about in a fluid motion; Anzu didn't know what he was doing, until she noticed how the shadows around her seemed to swirl in the same fashion. She put two and two together very quickly, but her mind could not comprehend it.

"Ma… rik… why?" she said, frightened as she panted for breath. He grinned delightfully.

"Silly child… do you really think that I was helping you just for the sake of it? So that it would benefit you out of _the kindness of my heart_?" He cackled darkly as he looked at her desperate form with half-lidded eyes. "Little Anzu, **I have no heart**! I am made of darkness, pure and simple! Do you think I enjoy living here, in this realm of shadows where I am slowly being distorted, molded, and twisted around by the greedy powers that RIVAL ME?"

His face suddenly contorted, so that his veins bulged out and his face became stretched and distorted. "I want to be FREE, back in the other realm where I can reap my revenge on that stupid Pharaoh for locking me away here! I want to bring the world into endless darkness! And in order to escape here, I needed to open the door to the light… something I cannot do because I have no light within me. You, however…" he sneered, "are full of light, and you were able to open the door to the real realm, just as I had wanted you to. You were the perfect puppet, never suspecting a thing!" He laughed again as he threw back his head, and then he began to meander towards the portal of light, where it cascaded down and illuminated the blackness beneath it. Anzu watched in terror as he started for the light, while she was already up to her shoulders in the shadows.

"Thank you, little Anzu—if not for you, then this would never have happened! Consider yourself a part of the world's official destruction, while you wither here in the Shadow Realm **FOREVER**! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Marik cackled into the darkness, and that was the last Anzu heard as her head sank beneath the shadows, and her soul descended deep into the heart of darkness.

_No…_ she whispered, but then there was no more.

---

Author's Note: _You would not believe how long it takes to write out a duel… but it's over now so thank Ra… my God I thought I was gonna go insane if I didn't update. Again, so many thanks to Elfbrat18, Maridel, and spiritfire for assisting me… couldn't have done it without you all! Until next update! _


	54. Forlorn Freedom

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: Gomen! I apologize full heartily for not updating as much as I really should… I have a huge writing project I am currently enthralled with. If you must know (and if you haven't checked out my profile lately) I am writing the sequel to a great fan fiction by layrna6 called, Do You Dream Of Me?... the sequel, which I am writing is called Do You Dream Of Me: Duelist. Check it out if you want, but you have to read laryna6's one first to understand what's going on.

In other news… wait there is no other news… um, forget that, just read.

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 54: Forlorn Freedom….**

"Ryou, can I ask you a question?"

The albino boy looked up with brown doe eyes from his sitting position on a boulder, as Ishizu sat down on one of the rocks beside him. Bakura had allowed him to be out of soul room for a bit, so that he could have some fresh air and a little leg room.

He had been sleeping in there for who knows how long, his mind floating about in the white room that was his inner soul as he let Bakura take the reigns of his vessel. He never really knew what was going on in the outside world, since Bakura had a tendency to place barriers up so that Ryou could not see. Ishizu had filled him in on what was happening, and it filled him with terror. Anzu was nearly dead? Atemu was gone? He shivered to think what was happening back in Domino, back at his home.

At times like this he even enjoyed Bakura's harsh company in his body—even if he was crude and unstable at least he knew he had protection. Twisted caring protection, but nonetheless, protection. Malik would have killed him if it hadn't been for Bakura; once again he owed his life to this sinner and thief, even though he kindly made up for it by hurting his friends or himself. He still didn't understand why he tolerated him.

"Ryou, are you listening?" the boy jumped—he had been caught in his own thoughts so much that he hadn't heard Ishizu talking to him. He nodded gently, staring off into the distance.

"Sorry, Ishizu. I'm just thinking about stuff." He could see the look of concern in her sapphire eyes.

"Do not worry yourself too much with the past few events. We will make it through, we are all strong" she said, and then added, "Especially that Thief King of yours."

Ryou ran his fingers through his hair a bit. His Thief King? He knew Bakura would get a kick out of that one. "He is strong… sometimes too strong. He's so hard to control… if he was more reliable I think we would actually have a conversation to talk about how powerful he is." Ishizu chuckled a bit, before looking at Ryou very sternly—Ryou felt a shiver trail up his back at this.

"Ryou, I have to ask of you… how is it that you have the Millennium Ring in your possession?" she said as her eyes gazed upon the golden pendant that hung from a cord around the youth's neck. He looked down, and fingered it absently. It glittered under his soft touch as he sighed.

"Strangest thing, really" he said, as he stroked one of the dangling gold extensions. "When Yugi and Atemu battled at the temple, and the Ring was sealed away into the ground with the others, I thought all my worries were over. I went home and thought of how my life would be different, now that I was no longer plagued with this bloody spirit." The pendant seemed to glow at those words, and the golden arms moved a bit in response. Ryou smiled at this—Bakura must have been watching them now. "But when I went to sleep, I felt an odd tugging at my soul, like someone was calling to me. Like someone was trying to find their way home… the next day I woke to find I was wearing the Ring." He smiled as he looked up at Ishizu with his soft chocolate eyes.

"That's it really. He was back with me—just like all the other times I tried to loose the Ring, or not wear it in fear of his return, there he was, back around my neck and inside my mind. He says I'm his permanent host, that I led him to the Millennium Puzzle so that must mean something. He refuses to let go, even if he pretends that he doesn't care or give a damn…." He grinned at distant thoughts, before pulling himself back to reality and rubbing the nape of his neck sheepishly.

"Sorry, I got a bit carried away there" he said shyly. Ishizu shook her head.

"No, that's quite alright. I've just been meaning to ask, since I was so surprised to see that the Ring was back from imprisonment when it should have remained there." She got up from her sitting position, dusting herself off as she headed out the cave towards where Odion was working on the jeep. She turned back to glance at Ryou, and gave him a fleeting smile.

"If you feel like giving us a hand, I would not mind it" she said, slightly sarcastic now as her face lightened up from the absence of stress. "We already know your yami refuses to do any work, but perhaps you might." Ryou laughed softly.

"I might, but for now I'm just going to sit here. I need to think a little." Ishizu nodded, understanding, as she headed out into the bright sunlight of the desert landscape. Ryou waited until she was fully out of view to let out a long, heavy sigh. Oh, what a day it had been.

Why couldn't he live a normal life, with normal days and normal nights and normal events that did not pertain to magic and deadly enemies? Why was he cursed to house a five thousand year old spirit in his body, to carry the great Thief King Akefia around with him just to have him dragged into situations where his life could be in danger? Especially when most of that danger came from a certain Tomb Robber….

Ryou didn't understand why he even tolerated the spirit being housed inside of him. Maybe it was because he didn't have a choice—Bakura was so powerful that he had no options but to obey him and submit. Even when he tried to resist him earlier back in Domino the spirit rose up to silence his opposition, but luckily he was stopped by sensing Samira and Anzu's trouble.

That brought up another question: just why was Bakura helping out Anzu and the gang? Ryou knew that he hated them, what's more he was also quite willing to kill them many occasions… why the sudden change of heart? Being nice seemed far beyond Bakura's abilities—it was almost like the Twilight Zone for Ryou with the way life seemed to become so abstract and devoid of reality. He held his head in his hands.

He also sensed that Bakura was not feeling himself. Despite the fact that Bakura had their link firmly closed so as not to let Ryou hear or see whatever he did while in his body, Ryou could still feel _him_, he could still sense what Bakura was sensing, though it was more in feelings than it was in thoughts.

It was certainly a first. Before this whole Samira incident, Ryou never felt anything through their link—it was as though Bakura was a block of solid ice, never moving and never feeling, or at least never feeling anything beyond hatred and the sweet sensation of revenge. Those seemed to be his only emotions… or at least that's what Ryou thought before he was reunited with him after the Ceremonial Duel.

At first there was sadness, then guilt… though he did not know who the guilt was directed towards, it was still felt very strongly by Ryou from Bakura. Then there was excitement, the heart-pounding, adrenaline rush of a chase and the fight. There was regret, there was fury that was unmatched to the spitting hatred Bakura felt usually, and then there was something else… something soft and gentle but at the same time fierce and direct, strong and desired. The only thing Ryou could think of, when he felt this sensation in his half-sleeping soul last night, was love.

Since when could Bakura feel, let alone _love_? And who was it that this feeling suddenly burned for? Ryou was left in the dark, utterly clueless. Why was Bakura sending him these feelings, letting him know of their existence? But then a thought occurred to him: Perhaps he wasn't sending him the thoughts—maybe they were so strong that Ryou could feel them even through the closed link. But how could that be, and what changed to make that possible? Ryou shook his head.

It's not like Bakura would ever tell him if he asked. Of that nothing had changed. Suddenly he felt a cold presence surrounding him, and he shivered on instinct. He heard a dark chuckle in his mind.

"_What has you melting your brains in thought?" _Bakura asked him.

_Nothing that concerns you, Tomb Robber_, he stated coldly. He felt Bakura smirk.

"_Being snippy, are we? Hmm, my influence must be rubbing off on you_."

Ryou hoped not. _What is that you want_?

"_Your time is up, I want the body back_." Ryou mentally shook his head.

_And if I refuse_? He wanted to stay out as long as possible—being in his soul room made him feel lethargic and worn from over-sleep. He felt Bakura slightly through his mind, silently snickering.

"_Then you cannot blame me if one of Samira's little minions starts choking you again—this time I might not be so willing to help you_." Ryou shuddered in slight fear, remembering the way Malik's clammy hands had squeezed his neck, closing off his air. He unwillingly receded, to have Bakura wear his skin once more.

"Ah, to feel alive" he said sarcastically, chuckling as he clenched and unclenched his host's fists, as though trying them out for the first time. He leapt off his rocky perch, and sauntered past Anzu's still unconscious form. He glanced at it cautiously, scowling.

_What the hell is taking her so long_? he thought, before stepping over to the opening of the cave. He leaned against the entryway, his hands in his pockets as he peered over the endless ocean of bronze. The sky was just getting to twilight, as the sun was just over the horizon now, about to make its descent. If he looked to the right he could see Ishizu and Odion over by the jeep, with Ishizu handing Odion a wrench as he went under the car to do something. Bakura smirked.

_How the curator has all that equipment and food in her jeep at the right time is beyond me, _he thought, before turning her gaze back to the desert. His thoughts were elsewhere, pondering old and nearly forgotten memories. Things that he wished he never had to remember again, but now his heart was enflamed with their essence… it was driving him insane.

_Samira… as soon as I find you, I assure you that there will be no returning to the living world for you_. He balled his hand into a tight fist. _I can assure you of that_.

He continued to stare out at the sea of swirling sand, his russet brown eyes harshly viewing the world, when he noticed something odd. There were two billowing streams of smoke coming from forms that were too microscopic for him to see, they were so far away. However, judging by all the sand trailing behind them, they were coming in fast and gaining distance. Then they drew closer, and if Bakura squinted enough he could identify them.

He groaned inwardly. _Samira's soldiers_! _Not now_…! He watched as the jeeps they rode in came to view, and now he could hear the roar of their engines. He could also hear rowdy laughs and shouts from what he could assume were the passengers. He crossed his arms, displeased by their misfortune.

"We have company" he said, directing his voice to Ishizu and Odion. Confused, the two stopped their work and followed Bakura's russet brown eyes to the jeeps. Ishizu's eyes grew wide, galvanized.

"Oh no…" she breathed. Odion grabbed the wrench he had currently placed in the jeep, as though he was going to use it as a weapon. "What do we do now?"

Bakura shrugged, turning away so that he now walked back into the cave. He smirked, looking back at them on last time.

"We fight" he said bluntly, before retuning to the cool darkness that was the inside of their hideout. He glanced again at Anzu's sleeping form, and mentally chided himself for ever getting involved with this. He scowled as he gazed upon her.

_Anytime now would be nice_… he thought to her. _Wake up, already_!

---

There was no hope left. There was nothing left in the darkness to hold onto, especially not hope. And even the prospect of it was fading fast.

Anzu didn't know what to do—Marik had taken her completely by surprise, by sinking her into the ebbing shadows that longed for her soul. How could she have trusted him, that fiend whom she knew to be dangerous, whom she knew to be a threat but still went along with him anyways? She had been a fool of hope, a fool of friendship and trust… she had longed for the light and in her search trusted a demon who longed for the same thing. Now look where she was—the darkness she wanted to escape.

It felt like sinking into tar at first, but as she passed through the surface Anzu realized that it was like floating in water… except water didn't drag you down with invisible tendrils that were made of pure darkness. Anzu was surprised by the shadows though, because it was like a two-way mirror in a sense—looking up though them now, it was so she was peering through water, as she could clearly see Yami Marik stalking his way over to the portal of light, the one meant solely for her. Her freedom, her escape… all gone because she trusted him, and he showed why she shouldn't have.

She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe… could she breathe before-hand, here in the Shadow Realm? She did not remember, but what she felt now was somewhat like suffocation. She was drowning in the darkness, in the inky shadows, and also in her failure.

She was supposed to save them—her friends, Atemu… she was supposed to come back and rescue them from the darkness that enslaved their world. Now she was enslaved herself, and all her efforts, all her friends' efforts, had been in vain… all because she wasn't strong enough to finish her task and return home to them.

_What will happen now_? she pondered as Marik grew farther and farther from her vision, as the blank darkness consumed her line of sight slowly, torturing her. _What will they do, without me there_? Images raced through her mind, of cities burning in infernos, of zombies plaguing the earth in armies lead by a tyrannical witch, of Yugi never smiling again, of Joey and Tristan never panty-tanking her in class (although that she could gladly live without), of Atemu all alone, maybe even dead… would they even miss her? Maybe they would forget, or maybe they would all be dead… she screamed into the darkness, but her voice was gone and her mouth only filled with the metallic sting of shadows. Tears silently slipped down her cheeks in a flood.

Even if Atemu died she would never see him again… she would never see any of them again… her heart broke into a million pieces as she struggled against the shadowy bonds that held her still, only making them tighter as she yanked and pulled on them.

_Let me go, please let me go!_ She cried as she tugged and squirmed, her body jerking wildly as she triedto get away. It was a useless struggle, but still she continued. _I want to be free! I need the light! I want to live again! To see Atemu, Yugi, Joey, Tristan… I want to see everyone again! I don't wanna die down here, all alone! I want to be free, I wanna go home! Please! LET... ME... GO!_ She screamed again but she couldn't even hear herself.

Tired and panting for non-existent air, Anzu's body went limp, too worn from her resistance. She tried to make her muscles move, urging them to oppose the bindings, but she could not. Her head hung uselessly from her neck, in surrender. It was over… she had lost this fight.

Her eyes clouded over to a misty blue, as two last tears traveled down her stained cheeks in defeat. Her hair swept over her eyes, covering them in shadow as she silently wept, trembling a bit as she whimpered helplessly.

_Atemu…Yugi…everyone…I'm sorry._ She sank deeper and deeper now, watching as Marik brought his arms out waiting for the light to accept his soul and take him back to the real world. She brought a tired left arm forward, reaching for the light, but she knew she could never get to it. It was too far away, out of her reach… just like her friends, just like her life… slipping below the folds of shadows….

Anzu was so content to fall into the abyss that she failed to notice the pale gold aura emitted from her cartouche. It was as soft as frost, and it warmed her soul like a soft candle flame; soon she noticed the gentle light and she looked down to see it. Her eyes glazed over, as she smiled down at the light. It was so small, it was nearly swallowed in the darkness… how sad it looks here in the shadows... it, like everything else, would not help her now.

"_Maybe not by itself_" a familiar voice said, "_but with a little help, that light can grow._"

Anzu slightly cocked her head upward, trying to see who said that. Beneath her bangs her tear-filled eyes widened, the familiar voice belonged to Yugi, who now floated above her as transparent as a ghost. He was surrounded by a golden aura, just like the cartouche, and he smiled like a saint as he reached down, and touched his hand to her reaching one.

"Yu…gi…" she whispered. He was here, floating in front of her. But how, why was he here in the real world? He seemed to hear her thoughts, because his smile grew bigger.

"_Anzu, don't worry about my presence in this realm. You may not realize it, but in spirit we are always with each other. All of your friends are_." Suddenly Joey appeared from the darkness to Yugi's right, and then Tristan appeared on Yugi's left. Both of the teens smiled widely at their companion, and she felt her heart skip a beat. They were here too?

"_Yug's right, Anzu! We're always with ya_!" Joey assured her, giving a thumbs-up and a wink. Tristan gave her the same thing.

"_Yeah Anzu! You may not think about it, but we're right beside you, in your thoughts_!" Tristan said. Yugi nodded along with both of them.

"You guys… I'm so sorry" Anzu's eyes were downcast as her head dipped towards her chest in shame. "I failed you all. I'm stuck here, and Marik's going back to the real world, not me." She was about to explain further, to try and tell them that she wasn't coming back, but the feeling of something touching her chin stopped her. A hand brought her chin up so that she could peer into accented amethyst eyes surrounded by bronze skin…. She gasped as she looked directly at the spirit of Atemu.

"Ate—" She was about to speak when he placed two warm fingers on her lips to silence her. He smirked as he leaned back, so that he stood—floated—with the others.

"_Anzu, don't give up just yet_" he said in his sultry voice. She felt her heart melt, she missed him so much. "_Just like Yugi said, the light of your heart may be small alone, but combined with others, it is a blazing radiance that casts away the darkness_." He then placed his hand to hers, the one that Yugi held firm, and suddenly the light of the cartouche grew stronger. Joey and Tristan joined in, and with it the symbol of friendship appeared on all their hands, glowing of a brilliant white light. Anzu smiled at it.

She remembered when she drew that symbol, the day Yugi went to fight Kaiba for his grandpa. She even recalled what she had said when she had finished, as she held up her hand to show everyone….

"_This is a symbol of our friendship_…."

Her eyes now looked into the light with a new-found determination. Her body overflowed with love and trust; she felt all their hands, all of their rich presence, soak into hers as the cartouche was shining like a star, nearly blinding her. She closed her eyes, took in the light… she could never give up, not when her friends were at her side!

She looked around, and saw all their expectant smiles. "I have to get outta here!" she said, remembering that the portal of light was still open. She could see Marik still waiting for the light to accept his soul. "I have to get to the portal and get home!" Atemu placed his free hand on her shoulder.

"_Then we had best hurry_." Without warning the cartouche exploded with a wave of light that banished the darkness away in seconds! In reverse to the shadowy tendrils pulling her down, Anzu felt them burn away with the holy light, leaving her free to fly towards the portal. Her body felt like it had wings, like she could soar through the air and into the light….

"_C'mon, Anzu! Let's go_!" she heard Yugi say. She could feel herself gliding upward, and she could sense all her friends surrounding her, pushing her spirit up to the light. Never had she felt so much power, so much strength… now she knew that their friendship was strong, because as it filled her soul she shot through the air, straight towards the opening in the Shadow Realm fog….

Marik stood beneath the light that led to the next world. He grinned manically as he felt the tug of the beam lead skyward, into the portal so blinding he could not stare directly at it. He placed himself directly where the radiance banished the shadows, and he felt the warmth of it like sunlight basking over him.

_This is IT! _He laughed maliciously as his face contorted, stretching out and veins popping from it, his right eye extended cynically. He spread his arms out, accepting the warm light even though it burned his dark soul. He chuckled as he though of the destruction he would cause, as soon as he was free.

_Malik_… _it will be good to see you again, when I take control of you once more_! he thought. _And that wretched Pharaoh will pay for what he did to me! All of them will pay, once I wreak my revenge_! He could feel his feet lifting slightly off the ground, and the light growing more intense as his grin appeared even more demonic. He was almost there, almost towards the light—

But then something shot up under him—he could hear the swish of air as something broke through the surface of the shadow underground, and it came up right beneath him. He glanced down to see Anzu, glowing with a heavenly light as her body was suddenly above his, and heading for the portal. He could see the determined smile on her face; she nearly resembled Guardian Angel Joan, in all her brilliance and holiness. Marik regained his composure and quickly took action.

_I have to stop her_! he screamed to himself. Instantly he grabbed her ankle, and started to drag her back down.

Anzu was dazed by the prospect of seeing the real world again, of being far from this vengeful darkness and back with all her friends—then her happiness was suddenly torn apart when she felt something grab her ankle. She twisted around to see Yami Marik grinning like a maniac, holding leg as he tried to yank her back. She yelped in pain at her leg being jerked like that.

"Let me go!" she cried, pulling her leg up and trying to kick Marik. He dodged, and only managed to grab her leg up as far as her knee. He chuckled insanely.

"Why my dear? Maybe there's enough room on this ride for two!" He held onto her as she slightly dragged them both towards the light. She caught a hold of his intentions, and instantly tried to kick him again.

"I won't let you go back to my world!" she yelled, and she grabbed her cartouche firmly. Without thought she summoned from it all its power, all of her power, and as she did her body became illuminated like a light bulb at full wattage. Marik covered his eyes with his free hand, but laughed to himself. If this was the best she could do then he was going back in no time.

But what he didn't expect was what came next. He felt an eerie sensation all around him, like he was surrounded by some sort of force. A strong, powerful, merciless force. Then he saw it, he saw what was making him feel like this—four souls had grabbed his arm, and were concentrating on forcing light to enter his soul. Marik's lilac eyes went wide as he felt his arm suddenly burn with a scalding pain. He watched as his arm disappeared into shadowy particles.

"NOOOO!" he bellowed, as the light that came from the portal suddenly activated—the opening was ready for passage. Anzu flew up into the light on invisible wings, her hands being held by the unseen souls of her friends, the ones she always held dear in her heart. She heard Marik scream at her from below, before the only sound she heard was the thundering of power as she was swept through a vortex of light, and out of the Shadow Realm for good, and the only thing she saw was the blinding brilliance of the world of light….

She was finally going home.

---

Author's Note: _Yes, cheer your hearts out! Anzu is going back to our realm! WOO!_

_But what surprises await her there? Oh, you'll just have to wait and see what I have in store… tehehe, the fun's just getting started!_


	55. Lurking in the Shadows

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Yes! I got some very excited feedback, even if there was less than I would have expected (only six reviews… where are you, people? I have UPDATED!). But for those of you who did review last chapter, the many of you answered with a lot of anxiousness for the next chapter!_

_Yes, Anzu is back, but when will we see her make a reappearance? This chapter? Read and find out!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 55: Lurking in the Shadows**….

Samira sat on her throne, immersed in the dark throne room as shadows swirled around her like loyal pet snakes. They coiled and slithered, like soft veils that cloaked the air. Samira's blood-red lips curved into a devious smirk as she hummed a laugh to herself.

"He is coming" she whispered calmly to the air, as though speaking to someone. "He has not lost his touch—his strength to save his friends has already done away with my servants. He arrives soon."

The air hissed, as though it were a person, coaxing her to speak more. She chuckled as her lips met her glass goblet, and red liquid poured from it inside her mouth. She sipped it, enjoying the lingering bitterness on her tongue as she licked her lips clean.

"You will need to be ready, my slave. When he comes to destroy your Queen, you must attack when I command it. It is your duty to your Mistress." She elegantly turned her head to her right, and gazed with crimson eyes to a shadowy form that stood beside her throne.

"I understand" a monotonous voice said, sucked of life and will. Samira smirked, obviously pleased.

"I know. I have made you that way, after all." She took another sip of the scarlet drink, before gesturing her free hand in the air, and having her eyes glow bright ruby. Without warning, torches were a lit, and the throne room was flooded with light—the shadows fled instantly, seeking darkness from this holy luminescence. It revealed a room made from the sands of Egypt, and it resembled any normal throne room: pillars in two adjacent lines running down either side of the long hall-like chamber, hieroglyphs decorating the walls, torches pinned to allow light, and shadows danced with the flickering of the many flames. On both the left and right side of the throne were two enormous golden bowls that held within them two roaring bonfires that made the room seem as though it was on fire. It smelt of musk and ancient times, and the air tasted of dust it was so old. Silence was befitting of the chamber, until Samira began to cackle lightly—then her voice echoed through the room like an empty cavern, haunting the air with its eerie sound. She smiled, showing off her pearly white teeth.

"We can't let you and the Pharaoh play in the dark" she said malignantly, gazing at the fresh torches as they crackled with fire. She looked in front of her, her eyes distant as she tried to focus on something unseen. When her gaze became unclouded, she grinned.

"Yes, he is almost here…" she mused, before gazing at the servant who stood at her side obediently. "Are you ready to play, my puppet?"

The shadow emerged into the light from its original position, amethyst eyes narrowed with malice.

"Yes."

---

With a solid kick in the stomach, the last soldier fell to the sandy floor as Atemu gazed upon him harshly. He was out cold before Atemu could even hit him.

"It was for your own good" he said quietly, his sultry voice turning out to be very bitter now as he sauntered over the many bodies that lay unconscious on the ground. He had not been merciful—not that he felt any mercy was needed for these servants as he had slaughtered them all with much ease.

His memories of being a warrior prince failed him not, as his basic instincts took hold of him once the battle began. He had picked a weak target—the man had been trembling as soon as the fighting commenced, and was very easy to take out as he punched him in the stomach and kicked him once he was hunched over. He grabbed his weapon—which had been a spear of sorts—and went to work the second the others pounced upon him.

None of them appeared to be well trained—their funeral, as Atemu managed to stab them or hit them over the heads with lightening speed. Some did not even have the courage to fight—those who tried to run Atemu used his Shadow Magic on, speeding up with unnatural swiftness to stand before them as he smirked and made the finishing blow. He watched as their eyes would roll back and their tongues would dangle from their open mouths—out of fear they passed out and Atemu threw those ones to the side.

It had been him and the one who addressed him earlier—the man who he assumed to be the leader as he had announced the challenge—that fought with the most vigor and bloodlust. He had been a quick one, yes, but not as quick as Atemu. He met the same fate as the others, as he now lay on the floor beside the rest of his fallen troop. Atemu looked at them with a hint of pity, but that was quelled when he remembered what their mistress had done to his friends.

He held no regrets against his actions.

He kept the spear he had used as his weapon as he made his way through the mob of bodies to where Yugi's Duel Disk still hung from the rope and peg attached to the wall. It reminded him of when Malik had used Bandit Keith as a mind slave, and had pegged the Millennium Puzzle's chain to the Duel Arena so that it would not be removed. Atemu shook away the memory—there were more important things to worry about now.

Carefully, he hooked the rope that held the Duel Disk in place with the spear and gently removed it from the wooden hanger. He brought it down so that he held it, feeling the contours of the plastic as he placed it on his arm. The Disk lit up as Atemu removed the deck from its slot, and looked at the Dark Magician card, a distant gaze in his purple eyes.

_Mahado_… he thought, thinking of the Afterlife, and how they were all still there—his family and friends of Ancient Egypt. When this was all over, would he return to them? Would he die again, and have his spirit recalled to the desert land of his past, away from his friends who now waited for his arrival here?

His heart was torn—a part of him hoped that he would go back, as he hadn't even been with his older clan for more than a week (though time was relevant in the spirit world). He wanted to recall all of his memories, he wanted to relive the life that he had been deprived of. But the other part… he knew in his heart where that part lived. It was with his friends here in modern time… Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Anzu… and this was a place that he didn't want to leave behind. He even had his own body now; he wouldn't be restrained to the Puzzle anymore!

But… was that all too good to be true?

He shook his head, blonde bangs swinging lightly as he forced away such inquiries. He still has Samira to deal with.

_Samira_…. He thought the word with utter disgust. _For what you have done to my friends… you shall not be spared any mercy. _

Placing the deck back in its holder, he set off to the stairs that led to the next room in a determined stride. His air was thick with thoughts of vengeance and a readiness to take action. For Yugi, for Anzu, for everyone whose fate hung in the balance.

He walked into the next room, which was as black and empty as the last had been. A twilight radiance engulfed it, allowing Atemu to see into the next room, and head for it. He remembered what the bird creature that had been his transportation had said about the palace being a magical labyrinth of sorts—if Samira willed it he could be lost in here forever. But Atemu could sense her magic, in a room that was not too far away, and he strived to get there before he could be lost in the endless dark.

There were torches on the walls, but none of them were lit. Everything was silent, as his shoes sounded against the cold stone floor with a resonance that rang in his ears. One room after the next, all appearing the same… and all filled with the same endless shadows that were suffocating to behold.

He thought of what he would do when he got to Samira… perhaps a duel, with live monsters that would bite her and pull off her limbs. Surely she would lose, and with it, a penalty game. That he could guarantee her—one where she will be placed with ruthless pain that would sear her bones to dust. He smirked as he thought of her bloodcurdling screams, and how he would watch as her blood leaked from her wounds and covered her like spilled wine… how her eyes would glaze over as they were eaten by vultures from the Shadow Realm, how darkness would surround her mangled form and eat her soul alive….

Darkness, darkness all around… thriving, beating, living: darkness. Longing for its power, and oh how he would be her master of torture, show her no pity as he himself cackled when she fell into the abyss, when he would send her into endless nightmare—

Atemu stopped suddenly, and cradled his head in his hands. What was he thinking—such dark and evil thoughts were not something he should take pleasure in. Why did these dark desires flood through his mind so easily?

Atemu remembered feeling this way before… in his distant memories of the modern day, when he first possessed Yugi's body. That was before they were connected, before he and his host were combined as one… before he was influenced by Yugi's light soul.

_That's it…_, he thought in realization. _Without Yugi's pure soul to guide me, my natural darkness is gripping my instincts, just like when I first overshadowed Yugi. And this shadowed palace isn't exactly helping._ He peered around the dark room with a loathing. Was Samira doing this intentionally, forcing him to soak in the shadows so as to let them guide his heart?

Atemu looked forward—ahead of him were double doors that looked as though made of black iron. Upon closer inspection, they were made of solid shadows, living breathing shadows that, when Atemu extended a hand to touch them, shivered and moved under his skin. Atemu closed his eyes and focused upon the dark barrier, using what he had left of his Shadow Magic to allow himself through. The Eye of Ra appeared on his forehead, as he concentrated on the doorway.

_Let me through_…. He placed his hand on the shadowed door, then the other, and with a sudden force he pushed his body into it. The Eye of Ra glowed like a star in the blackest of midnight as he sent all of his power into the door, and with it the shadows liquefied, and he slipped through it as though there was nothing there to begin with.

Atemu charged through to the other side, and instantly covered his eyes—this room was filled with light, and lots of it. Slowly his vision began to adjust to the many torches a lit in what appeared to be a large hall, with two rows of pillars lining the center walkway and sand-stone walls gracing either end. He squinted, still barely able to see as he was just in a realm of shadows only seconds before. He waited as his pupils changed to accept all the light, and once they did he looked in front of him to see the one person of whom he knew was a demon.

_Samira,_ he thought threateningly. _That must be her_. The woman who sat comfortably in the throne at the other end of the room smirked as her name was spoken. She was young, around his age, with sun-kissed skin and long, flowing ebony locks tipped with scarlet. She wore a black leather corset that fit snug around her waist, which covered her torso as she wore a fish-net sleeveless shirt underneath. A silken black skirt surrounded her lower half like a bed of shadows, appearing smooth as firelight reflected over its shimmering fabric. Steel-toed black boots were crossed over one another as the woman let her head sit on an arm propped up on her throne's armrest, cocked to the side in nonchalant amusement. Her stunning garnet eyes watched him like a cat, as the prey walked up to her from the far end of the room.

"Ah, you have arrived…" she said, grinning as she twirled a lock of her hair in her finders. "It's about time." Atemu's eyes narrowed.

"So you are Samira" he said flatly. She looked at him with amused crimson eyes, and chuckled.

"Yes, if introductions are that important to you" she replied, straightening herself in the chair so that she now sat up properly, though there was still an air of casualness to her that made Atemu feel rigid and overly-formal. Still, an elegance held her stance to near angelic-perfection. "And you are Pharaoh Atemu. It's a pleasure… at least for me."

Atemu ignored the small-talk—he tried to cut straight to what he had come here for.

"Samira, what you are doing has got to stop" he announced, continuing his walk towards the throne. "You have hurt the souls of my friends and have brought evil upon this Earth for your own selfish reasons. I have come here to stop you."

Samira giggled like a school girl. "Figures, you'd get straight down to business. Not even some small talk about the lovely weather?" She grinned, showing off some especially sharp teeth. "But I admire your vigor. So, what is it that you desire?"

"You know what, I don't have to explain" Atemu countered. "Return my friends to me and cease your evil plans, Samira" His voice was a low growl as he approached her. He stopped when he was just before the raised dais from which her ornate throne stood atop, the stairs leading up to it right before his feet. He looked up at her with much hatred and determination, but was only met with a sarcastic laugh.

"Is that what you want, my Pharaoh? For me to release your friends?" she said mockingly, receiving a glare that could kill a thousand men with one glance, it was so venomous. "I'm afraid I cannot promise you that yet. With me taking over the world and all, that would be a matter to discuss after-the-fact, wouldn't you say?" Atemu bared his teeth, not at all pleased.

"I refuse to play your games, Samira! Where are Yugi and your other prisoners!" he commanded. The room was silent for a moment, before the quiet was broken by Samira chuckling, then cackling, letting her laughter echo through the room as it vibrated endlessly against the walls. Atemu stood still, his gaze intense as he waited for her to answer.

She looked at him with half-lidded eyes, as she brushed a hand through her ebony hair.

"Oh, Atemu…" she crooned. "But I thought you _loved_ games…."

"I just want my friends back, safe and sound… and I will fight for them if I have to!" Atemu, in an abrupt motion, brought his left arm forward, displaying Yugi's Duel Disk as it hummed to live expectantly. "Now tell me where they are!" Samira cocked an eyebrow, amused, before she regarded him again with subtle interest.

"Ah, so you _are_ willing to fight, then, are you?" she sneered, obviously taking great pleasure in mocking him so. She seemed quite unafraid of his daunting presence, as he was now becoming angered by her casual personality. She grinned, revealing glistening teeth as she sighed contently. "Very well… but as you know, a ruler, does not fight a battle, they have others do it for them…."

"Quit stalling, Samira! I came here to defeat you, not more of your servants!" Atemu insisted. He could feel his darkness, that was once tamed by Yugi's heart, ache to see her screaming in pain—it filled him with the desire to summon his monsters now and silence this witch before she could ridicule him further. Samira chuckled at his impatience.

"Of course, I understand that" she said with feigned empathy. "But what fun would it be to have the final battle so soon? I have been waiting for you for a while now—let us extend these precious moments, a little longer…." She gestured to her right, and with a wave of her hand a shadow launched itself down from the ceiling. It stood from its crouched position from the landing, and hid behind the shadow of the throne obediently. Samira smirked at Atemu.

"Pharaoh, I would like you to meet one of my more loyal slaves. I would give names, but… I doubt introductions will be needed in this case." She turned her head slightly to look at the shadowed figure. "Come forth, my puppet" she beckoned. And the person stepped into the light.

Atemu gasped—his heart suddenly skipped a beat as he failed to exhale out of shock. This couldn't be right, this couldn't be true… and yet, there was the proof, right in front of him, staring at him with the coldest of amethyst eyes.

Yugi glared at him from beside Samira's throne.

---

Bakura watched the desert landscape, feeling the air as it tensed with the oncoming battle. The jeeps were not that far away now—they were so close that he could now count how many people were in each vehicle, and he could see their gristly faces smirking at him from the distance. He scowled as he felt Ryou go rigid within him, as he also gazed at the sight before them.

_We're toast_, Ryou said, terrified. Bakura snorted at his yellow-bellied host.

_Who said? The battle has yet to start, my yadonushi. Hope should not be lost to you just yet._ He could have said the same to Ishizu and Odion, as they now stood behind him, guarding the entrance to the cavern where Anzu's body still slept. Odion held a large wrench in his hands and Ishizu stood by Anzu, staying close to the unconscious girl. He smirked as he felt their nervousness.

"This is it" he said, and the silence that hung over them was stifling. Odion nodded, feeling uncertain as he gazed at the men who approached them at neck-breaking speeds. Would Master Malik be with them? He shook his head at the thought. He would have to restrict the urge to think of the youth, as it would only hinder him in the fight. He gripped the wrench forcefully.

"I never thought I would see the day, when Tomb Keepers would fight beside the King of Thieves" he said gruffly. Bakura smiled at this and gazed at him, a distant look in his russet brown eyes.

"It will be a short-lived thing, that's for sure" Bakura replied, and then he turned his attention back to the jeeps that were now only a few seconds away from them. Rowdy banter and shouting thickened the air, as several soldiers looked upon the two men that guarded the entrance to a desert cavern.

Their next victims.

The jeeps skidded to a stop, the sand cushioning the tired underneath and slowing them down to a halt. Sand flew through the air behind them, showing where they had arrived from, and it dissipated into the Egyptian horizon as the sun just kissed the edge of the Earth. Engines were silenced, leaving only quiet turmoil as the two groups now stared each other down, waiting for the other to make the first move.

Finally, one of the soldiers—who appeared to be the leader of the group—expertly leapt out of one of the jeeps, and in the silence he trudged through the sand, a keen grin on his unshaven face as his chestnut locks were ruffled by the desert wind. He broke the calm as he spoke, his voice scratchy from too much shouting, as he gazed upon them with sharp emerald orbs.

"Well, lookie what we got here…" he said casually, his eyes narrowed as he watched them intently. "A few campers, stuck in the woods… car trouble, mates?"

Bakura growled a little. "Why yes," he said, trying to play along. So this was their game… it was time to see who struck first. "It was, actually. Care to help us with it, 'mate'?" The other man scowled a bit at the mockery.

"I ain't no mechanic" he replied sharply. "But, we could hook you fellas up, maybe take ya somewhere where you'll be looked after quite nicely…."

"Thanks, but no thanks" Bakura snapped. "The desert suits us fine." The leader smirked as he ran his fingers through his hair, as he chuckled to himself at Bakura's answer.

"That wasn't a question, mates. You're comin' with us." The rest of the soldiers shuffled out of the jeeps ominously, their presence looming over Bakura and Odion as they back up a little towards the inside of their hideout. Grins adorned the faces of the men, some of them patting their open palms with their weapons in anticipation. The leader stood at the front of the group, a menacing smile on his shadowed face. "Dead… or alive. It's your choice."

Bakura glanced at Odion, and the Tomb Keeper stared back. An unseen agreement went between them, as Bakura returned his gaze to the approaching servants and gave them a smirk that meant only one thing:

They weren't going down without a fight.

"Dead or alive, eh?" Bakura asked, an edge in his sarcastic voice. "Well, I don't know about going with you deadbeats, but when it comes to that question, I'll give you my answer….

"I think I'll stay alive."

That broke the air of waiting—without warning the two parties launched upon each other, and so the battle began.

---

Author's Note: _Okay, so Anzu's not this chapter… I would have continued this one, but it would have been **long**… like seven thousand words or something. Better just split it and you guys can wait till next time._

_I know you're just dying to review me… the little button is right there, you can do it… click it, click it, click it… NOW!_

_I loves you guys! Review me!_


	56. The Darker Side of You

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Thank you for the feedback, folks! Who to thank…_ **Isis the Sphinx, Elfbrat18, ArchangelAki, Maridel, Ancient Dreams, ray1, **_and _**spiritfire**.

_And to those who have this story on their favorites and are STILL not reviewing… I'm waiting. Buzz me anytime, I'd love ta hear from ya'll. _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 56: The Darker Side of You….**

Atemu's warm violet met Yugi's hard amethyst as the two stared at each other, with Samira smirking at them both. Atemu looked upon his former hikari, and flinched as he felt waves of emotionless ice pulsing from his angelic host. He was not himself… he may have looked the same but his demeanor was far from normal. His outfit was similar to the one he usually wore when Atemu had inhabited his body, but not quite the same; he wore a silky black shirt that hugged his upper body—it was supposed to be all long-sleeved, but the left sleeve had been torn off at the hem so that the one side was sleeveless. His pants were also quiet form-fitting and made of thin black leather, and at the bottom they met steel-toed boots that looked quite heavy. Two belts adorned his waist, and what adorned the belts were several sheaths for small daggers and a packet for ninja stars. As always, there was a carrier for his deck on the second belt, which hung low on his hip. Finally, he still had his dog collar tight around his neck, but this time it had hieroglyphs written in gold running across it instead of studs.

And his face… his hair seemed a little wilder than before, as his bangs swayed untamed from his head and his crimson-tipped obsidian spikes looked crisp and striking. His face was paler than normal, and almost took on an undead tint to them, like a corpse that was just laid to rest. His eyes were the most haunting feature though, as they were underlined by dark bangs that contrasted against his pale skin, but it was not even that—they were a dark purple, but almost like a burgundy… they were amethyst but glowed of an unnatural ruby color.

The look he gave Atemu… so heartless and disgusted it nearly made Atemu draw back in pain. Why was he acting like this? He quickly realized that Samira had to be controlling his mind, for him to act so much like this to him.

Yet, why did the look that Yugi now give him seem to be so… full of hatred? Shouldn't he be… unfeeling?

"Yugi!" Atemu shouted, releasing the breath he took in the moment he saw his light. His voice was now desperate, as his emotions flooded around in disarray. What was he supposed to do? Would he have to fight Yugi? The teen looked upon Atemu, and his large eyes narrowed, making him look sinister.

"Stranger, take not another step" Yugi said, but his voice seemed different and yet the unchanged at the same time—like it had been altered… perhaps grown fierce with a darkness he never before knew. "I will protect my Queen, and to attempt upon her harm will mean your death. Step aside—you have no right to be here."

"Yugi, listen to me!" Atemu said, his voice now choking a bit—what the hell was going on? He wasn't acting like a typical mind slave would. He recalled how Malik's slaves appeared when under Malik's control—like ventriloquist dummies in the hands of their puppet master, with someone else pulling the strings and making the words. But now… Yugi wasn't acting like that. Was this… was this Yugi speaking in free will?

Samira caught his astonished look and chuckled heartily. "Surprised, Pharaoh Atemu? I thought this little reunion with your former host would be a nice little gift, before I have little Yugi here destroy you."

"What have you done to him!" Atemu growled, teeth bared as the hair on the back of his neck bristled fiercely—he clenched his fists together as he tried to suppress his anger towards Samira, as it threatened to bubble over and spew from within him. Samira smirked as she reached over and stroked her hand through Yugi's hair affectionately—a motion that made Atemu's growl deepen as his eyes narrowed furiously.

"What do you mean, Atemu? I have done the boy no harm" Samira cooed maliciously. Yugi stood perfectly still, as though entranced by Samira's touch as she continued to run her fingers through his locks. "He is perfectly normal… for me, that is."

"Release your control over him, _now_" Atemu hissed, to which Samira gave a pleased grin to. Then she looked upon Atemu's left arm, and noticed the Duel Disk that adorned his arm.

"I see you retrieved your little toy, Pharaoh" she snickered, and then her eyes glowed of an unholy ruby light. All of a sudden, Atemu's arm was surrounded by the same red glow, and he shouted in pain and surprise as the Duel Disk was removed from his arm and sent flying across the room. Atemu looked at the Duel Disk as it smacked against the wall with a crack, and then turned to Samira and gave her a terrible glower. "But, you won't be needing _that_ infernal thing. I think this would more interesting if we do things _my_ way." She turned to look at Yugi with garnet eyes. "Care to give our guest a demonstration, my slave?"

Yugi, awakening from his daze, looked at Atemu with bloodthirsty eyes as he pulled a dagger from one of the sheaths that hung from his belt.

"Yes, my Queen." Suddenly, with lightening speed Yugi launched forward, swiftly approaching as he plunged the dagger forward towards Atemu's chest. Atemu was just as swift, though, and dodged from the attack as he tried to grab Yugi and stop him.

"Yugi!" he cried, as Yugi took another swipe at him with the blade. His motions were like that of a robot—no emotion, just reflex and instinct on the task at hand. Atemu was surprised by this spur of sudden movement, as Yugi stabbed the air where Atemu stood only a second before again and again. He followed Atemu without fail, always just a second away from slicing his flesh with the shimmering dagger.

Atemu skillfully backed up, leaping expertly from a forwards stab with the blade, before ducking down as Yugi did a swipe at the air surrounding him. He stood back up again, and moved his head to the right just in time to avoid Yugi's sudden strike at his face, and with it Atemu forcefully grabbed Yugi's arm before the teen could retract it back. Yugi's body went rigid at being caught so quickly, and he struggled to pull his arm free. Atemu, however, held his arm firmly as he tried to get some sense into Yugi.

"Yugi, listen!" he said urgently, as the boy still tired to pull his arm free. Atemu saw Yugi use his other hand to grab another blade from its sheath, and he abruptly pinned the teen's arm to his torso. Yugi growled in annoyance.

"Let me go!" Yugi barked, struggling with his arms. Atemu held him, unyielding and refusing to release his tight grip.

"Yugi, don't you remember me!" Atemu begged, now in a slight whisper as he had Yugi so close to him. He made his voice soft—he didn't want to hurt Yugi, he wanted to save him from the evil witch who controlled his thoughts and actions. "It's me, Atemu! I'm your friend, aibou… please listen to what I'm saying!"

Yugi, who had been battling against his restraints with vigor, suddenly stopped moving. His body was still rigid, but he ceased his resistance as he looked at Atemu with his amethyst eyes. He looked confused, and somewhat scared…Atemu gazed back—was he trying to remember?

But then his innocent face distorted into a terrible grimace, and Yugi snickered.

"I only know of my Mistress, stranger. Sorry to disappoint you." Then he suddenly kicked Atemu in the chest! Atemu was unprepared and was sent flying, letting go of Yugi as he was propelled towards the wall at the very far end of the throne room. Even at such a distance Yugi's kick had been so strong that Atemu hit the opposite wall with a sickening crack, and then fell as his body slumped on the ground as he dropped from where he impacted the sand brick.

Yugi smirked malignantly as he slowly sauntered over to the heap on the floor, and watched as it lay unmoving. He twirled his dagger in the air before catching it easily, and slipped it back in its sheath.

"So, have you given up yet?" Yugi spat, as he now loomed over Atemu's crumpled body, smirking to himself. He was about to lean over and grab Atemu by the hair, when Atemu's hand reached out and tightly grasped Yugi's ankle! Yugi looked down in surprise but it was too late, as Atemu pulled Yugi's leg so that he fell, his legs pulled out from under him! He hit the solid ground hard, as Atemu instantly leapt on top of him, pinning his light to the floor. His two hand held down Yugi's arms as he held Yugi's hips in place with his legs pushing on either side. Yugi kicked and struggled against the other's attempts to hold him still.

"Yugi, I will **not** give up on you!" Atemu said forcefully. When Yugi had kicked him in the chest, a thought had suddenly come to a head. He now had a plan of sorts, or at least a theory… he would have to try it now if he wanted any chance of saving his aibou!

He concentrated all his Shadow Magic, all of his power into his thoughts. He closed his eyes, and the Eye of Ra appeared on his forehead, blazing with its holy light. Yugi continued to struggle as he watched Atemu focus on something.

"What are you doing! Let me go!" Yugi cried. Atemu shook his head defiantly.

"I'm sorry aibou, but this may be the only way to free you from her will!" Atemu said calmly, before bringing all his power to a solid point—he concentrated, and then let it go!

The Eye on his forehead glowed brightly, shining down on Yugi. As Atemu allowed the power to flow through him into Yugi, he mentally forgave his host—he had not wanted to go to such extremes, but he thought that perhaps he had enough Shadow Magic in him to push out Samira's will. If he could free Yugi's heart, maybe he would have a chance at rescuing him, and then he would know how to free the rest of his friends as well.

At the same time, the cartouche that hung around his next began to glow as well, its power resonating with that of Atemu' magic. From within it sleepy magic awakened, and it lent its power to the Pharaoh as the two forces flooded through Yugi, blinding the room in a magnificent brilliance….

The light died away as instantly as it had come, leaving Atemu still on top of Yugi when Atemu's power finally let out. Atemu felt exhausted—he had used much of his power to do that, and now it left him partially drained of energy. It had been a last resort—he could only hope that it had succeeded.

He looked down at Yugi, to see if anything had changed. The boy's eyes were closed, and he seemed to be still, perhaps even unconscious. Worried, Atemu leaned in closer, checking to see if Yugi was breathing.

"…Yugi?" he asked tentatively. He felt the boy stir underneath him, and it looked as though he was okay….

Until his eyes flashed open, revealing the same hate-filled amethyst orbs that bore a hole in him two seconds ago. Nothing had changed, Yugi was still Samira's servant!

"Wha—?" Atemu looked down at Yugi in shock. What was going on! He had just ridded Yugi of Samira's influence—why was he still looking at him like this? With Atemu so stunned Yugi took the opportunity as he launched forward, free of Atemu holding him down as he grabbed the Pharaoh's throat and proceeded to knock him to the ground instead! Now Yugi sat on top of him, two hands on the king's throat as he started to choke his former yami.

"Yu… gi… stop!" He stuttered, but as the breath slowly began to leave him, he could no longer speak, instead making choking sounds as he tried to pry Yugi's hands from his neck. _How did my magic not work? It should have overshadowed Samira's influence, or at least cleansed him of the hatred she has implanted in his soul… why is he still trying to kill me_?

"That was a pretty light show, stranger" Yugi mocked, "but it didn't do anything—too bad for you!" Atemu began to see colors dance across his vision, as he heard Samira cackle in the background.

"Are we having fun, Atemu?" she said, sitting placidly on her throne, enjoying the spectacle. "I see you tried to remove my conscience from his mind—it was a nice thought, but too bad that's not what keeps little Yugi so loyal to me."

"Then… what… is it!" Atemu snapped, before making more choking noises as Yugi grinned, delighted at his pain. The Pharaoh was furious—what had she done to Yugi that wasn't mind control? He hated her… his friends had turned against him, Anzu was placed in great peril… all of this was HER fault! The darkness built up inside of him, and a wave of energy surged through his veins. He stopped struggling against Yugi and he smirked, making Yugi look at him, perplexed.

"I… don't know what… she did to you, Yugi…" Atemu breathed out, "but whatever it is… I'm going… to stop it!" With his second wind flooding through him, he propped his knees up so that his feet were under Yugi's torso, and he kicked Yugi from underneath. Yugi was thrown a few feet away, as Atemu got up and nursed his neck. He would have felt better, except that, unlike his fall, Yugi landed on his feet perfectly, with a grace and agility that was unheard of for a normal human being.

Yugi gazed at him, his eyes hard and cold. "Silence, stranger! I only obey my Mistress, the Queen of Egypt!" Atemu shook his head.

"Aibou, I don't understand what she has done to you, to make you think such a thing… but no matter what happens… I _will_ save you!" And then the two sped towards each other, resuming confrontation as they brought up their fists and prepared to renew the fight.

---

"Time to kick some ass!"

The team of a dozen soldiers charged at their opponents, who turned out to two guys with their own agendas. And no one was going down peacefully.

Bakura grinned when he saw two scrawny men come towards him—obviously his first challengers. They brought up their fists, and the larger of the two prepared to give Bakura a jab in the stomach when all of a sudden Bakura disappeared! The two men halted, looking around curiously at the space where he once was… they were too pre-occupied to notice that Bakura was now behind them, and in one swift motion he took both their heads and had them skull-bash each other. They both fell to the sand in a slump.

"Heh heh…" Bakura snickered. "Two down, and more to go."

Meanwhile, Odion watched as three men came after him, the first to come out of the jeeps. The surrounded him on three angles, and the cave's outer wall was at Odion's back. They stalked him like a pack of wolves, watching for the moment that their prey showed weakness. Odion stood his ground, tightly gripping the wrench he considered his weapon of choice.

Apparently his three adversaries didn't think much of it, as the one in the middle looked at the wrench and chuckled darkly.

"Are you gonna beat us with a _wrench_, buddy?" he teased, and the other two goons laughed along with him as they continued to draw closer. He smacked his fist into his palm, before cracking a few knuckles to look intimidating. "All three of us?"

Odion looked at all of them, his emerald eyes showing no emotion as his body suddenly tensed.

"Yes." Without warning Odion charged forward, and with his right fist and slammed upward on the middle man's jaw, making him fly up and land on his back, moaning in pain. The other two stared at their comrade in shock, but regained their composure as they both charged at Odion from his left and right. Odion showed no fear, because as soon as they were close enough to him he leapt into the air and somersaulted over the guy on his left, causing the two goons to slam right into each other and fall on the ground. Odion landed in a crouched position, and got up looking down at the three men. He gave an uncharacteristic smirk.

"I don't need a wrench to take you out" he said proudly, before stepping over them and heading into the next battle.

Bakura would have been just as surprised as those fools were, but he was currently in a fist fight with one of the spunkier soldiers who was a hint taller than him. Bakura was in a fighting stance, his fists ready in a mirror image of the man he fought. The soldier threw a jab directly at his face, to which Bakura easily dodged, and took the opportunity to slam his right fist into the side of the guy's face! The man's head was pushed to the side forcefully, but he was a quick one to recover as he came up from below and punched Bakura in the stomach! Bakura coughed, the wind knocked out of him as a bit of spit escaped his mouth—he hunched over, gripping his abdomen as the other man stood up over him. With a smirk the man lifted his left leg over the albino, and sharply brought it down onto Bakura's back, sending him down into the sand. Bakura struggled to get back up, but the servant stomped his left foot into his back, keeping him pinned to the ground.

"Had enough yet?" the soldier said, his voice having a hint of an Arabic accent. Bakura looked like he would just lie there, but out of nowhere his head jerked up so that he could look at the servant with icy russet brown eyes. Their demonic glare sent a shiver down his spine.

"Wrong question!" Bakura hissed, before grabbing the soldier's foot and pulling his legs out from under him. The man gasped as he fell hard on his back, before nearly pissing himself as Bakura leapt on top of him, staring into his eyes with a flaming hatred that could only be described as the fires of Hell. "Have _you_ had enough yet, mortal!" Bakura brought up his right fist, and slammed it into the man's left cheek! His face turned to the side, and blood spitted out of his mouth as he was out cold before he could feel Bakura get up and kick his head with just as much force.

"So, enjoying yourself, eh?" a familiar voice called from behind. Bakura turned to see the leader who had addressed him before, standing nonchalantly before him with a grin on his unshaven face. Bakura smirked, seeing his next adversary approach; he wiped some of the spittle from his mouth before bringing up his fist.

"Tell me if this hurts…."

At the same time, two servants managed to slip past Bakura and Odion, as they headed inside the cavern with grins on their bronze faces. Their eyes quickly adjusted to the light, and the first thing they saw were two figures, both female, huddled in a corner of the hideout. One of them was Egyptian, and she was looming over another woman with pale skin who appeared unconscious. Both men smirked to themselves—this would be easy.

"Hey girlie…" one of them said, and Ishizu's head snapped up. She hadn't heard them come in as her thoughts had been on trying to move Anzu as far from the fight as possible. Now her sapphire eyes were glowing with fear—like a rabbit caught in its hole by two hungry foxes—and they were coming closer. Their unshaven faces adorned horrific grins that showed their desire to feel her blood run through their fingers.

"Get away" Ishizu hissed, watching them approach her slowly. Ishizu stood up from crouched position beside Anzu's sleeping vessel, gradually coming to full height, and they were still taller than her by at least half a foot. She could feel her legs tremble beneath her, but she held her ground as they came to stand in front of her, obviously entertained by her attempts to appear tough. "Get away!"

"Aw, c'mon lady, don't give us lip!" one of the men insisted, before he grabbed Ishizu by the collar of her dress and held her over the ground, her feet dangling uselessly as she struggled to get down. She growled at them as they smirked, interested. "You're a feisty one… maybe we can have some use for you back at our base."

"Let go of me, you slime" Ishizu threatened in a low voice, to which the soldier just laughed.

"Oh yeah? And what are ya gonna do ta make me?" he asked, but he hardly realized that her answer would come in the form of a sharp kick to his groin. He instantly let her go, and Ishizu got back on her feet as she watched the man hunch over groaning in pain. His partner glared daggers at the curator.

"Why you little…!" He marched towards her, his hand up as he went to slap her; Ishizu backed up, watching this man stalk up to her with fear in her eyes… until he suddenly froze where he was as something metallic came crashing down on his head. His eyes rolled back in his head as he slumped over onto the ground, revealing a shadowed figure standing behind him. Ishizu's eyes lit up, relieved.

"Odion!" she said, thanking all the Gods she could name that he had come at such a good time. Odion gave her a slight smile, also thankful that he had gotten to Miss Ishizu and Miss Anzu in time. It was short lived, however, when _he_ was attacked from behind by a very short man who managed to jump up and wrap his scrawny arms around Odion's neck! Odion wheeled, trying to remove the nuisance, but the person hung on, distracting him.

"Odion!" Ishizu cried, concerned. Her concern then turned to full-scale panic when she saw something fly through the opening of the cavern—something with white hair. _Bakura_! Ishizu thought, as she watched the limp body soar through the air and slam into the wall behind her with enough force to break bones. He stayed stuck to the inner stone wall for a second or two, before his body fell like a sack of rice to the ground a few feet away from Ishizu and Anzu, unmoving.

"Bakura?" Ishizu yelled, but when his body failed to reply she began to get nervous. How badly was he injured? Who sent him flying like that? "Tomb Robber!"

A chuckle echoed through the hideout, vibrating in the hollow chamber like a haunting note. Ishizu turned her attention to the entrance, as a shadowed figure stepped inside from the desert. It was the leader of this troop, his brown hair messily covering his face as his jade orbs sparkled with malice. Ishizu's eyes narrowed at him as he came closer, sauntering towards Bakura's vessel.

"Well, well… it was about time he gave in" the man said as he looked upon Bakura with a hint of pity in his eyes. He continued to approach the albino heap, using the back of his gloved hand to wipe some blood from the corner of his mouth. His boots sounded against the stone loudly, until he finally stopped right in front of the thief, watching him as he showed pride in his work.

"You were a good fighter, mate. Nearly got me that last time" the man mused, smirking as he reminisced about their fight, he gave Bakura a light kick in the head, testing to see if he would be roused. There was nothing. Satisfied, the leader turned his attention to Ishizu, who was now breathing hard as her heart started to beat faster. She tried to back away, but her foot tripped over a rock and she stumbled, falling on the ground beside Anzu. At that point she scrambled along the floor, attempting to get away, but the man sauntered over to her with ease. He stood before Ishizu and watched her, as though admiring her in a way.

"Running away so soon, love?" he coaxed, bending down to meet her at eye level. Ishizu froze, trembling as he caught her in his bright green eyes.

"Miss Ishizu!" Odion said, aware of what was going on. He had watched in terror as the man approached Miss Ishizu, but he was pre-occupied at the moment as the smaller attacker wouldn't cease his assault. In his haste to look at Ishizu and yell to her, another soldier ambushed him and jabbed him in the face, knocking Odion over. Ishizu looked over at him, her eyes wide.

"ODION!" she cried. But the leader drew her attention back to him, grabbing her face and gently bringing her back to look at him as he stroked her cheek.

"Hush, girl. No need to worry." One of his hands suddenly trailed up her leg, trying to move under her dress. "The fun's just beginning. I'll show you a good time… if you'll just come with me and—"

**SMACK! **A large red mark formed on the man's left cheek, right where Ishizu had slapped him. He retracted his hand from under her white skirt, and delicately placed it on his cheek, wincing. Ishizu stared at her hand in astonishment. She never knew she had it in her… and apparently neither did the servant.

But he recovered quickly, and glared at her, seething.

"Well I was trying to be nice" he hissed, before suddenly grabbing Ishizu by the shoulders, obviously enraged. "But… I see we'll have to do things the hard way then." Ishizu looked at this man in terror. She figured out pretty quickly from the animalistic look in his eyes that he had some things on his mind that involved her, and not anything nice. Odion was currently being kicked in the gut by two of Samira's men as they laughed away; Ishizu was helpless, and was nearly whimpering, as this man saddled himself to her hips and went forward towards her face. She took in a breath, this was it.

_Oh Ra, please do something_! She could feel his breath on her skin, as his lips slowly neared her shivering face. She closed her eyes, praying. _Somebody save us_!

"Get… away… from them."

The leader froze, hearing a husky voice hiss behind him like a rattlesnake in warning. He turned his head to see Bakura, no longer a heap on the ground, instead standing and looking like he was still willing to fight. The leader, though at first surprised, gave a predatory smirk before releasing his grip on Ishizu and throwing her aside sharply. He got up, scrunching up his shoulders in mock preparation. His neck crunched as he moved his head around, loosening up.

"So, you still wanna beating?" the troop leader announced, cracking his knuckles as he stopped in front of Bakura, the both of them facing off like two cowboys in a showdown. Bakura clenched and unclenched his fist, baring his teeth as he breathed heavily from the difficult struggle he made just to get to his feet. He was in no condition to even considering moving, much less brawling. Yet there he was, on his feet and staring down a very impatient soldier. "You got a death wish or something, buddy?"

Bakura grinned, showing off his sharp canine teeth. "Actually, I do…." He chuckled, before suddenly reaching from his back pockets and pulling out two short swords, and he gripping them in both his hands. "To see you off to the Afterlife, 'mate'."

The leader's eyes widened at the sight of the twin blades. "H-Hey, where'd y-you get those?" Bakura grimaced at the alarm that this man's eyes depicted. He laughed to himself as he brought one of the blades to his face, and he licked its sharp edge slowly.

"I stole it off one of your men, to tell you the truth" Bakura answered, casually gesturing to an unconscious man not too far away. "I am a thief, after all."

"Well, thief or no thief, I'm taking you down!" the soldier announced, reaching behind him and pulling out a small gun from his pants pocket. His hands were shaking a little—Bakura had taken him by surprise. Still he held the gun, his finger on the trigger ready to shoot. Ishizu looked up from where she was on the floor, and gasped.

_Oh no! Bakura, get outta there_! she thought anxiously.

Bakura's smirk only grew more sinister. "Did I also mention I'm a stealer of _souls_?" Without warning, Bakura ran forward, gripping the two blades at his sides as he launched himself at the man, too fast to be seen properly. He was a blur as he yelled, "Because I think I want to steal _YOURS_!"

Freaked out, the leader hastily shot bullets at Bakura's blurred form, desperate to kill this demonic youth. Somehow he missed on all three shots, even the one at near point blank range, as Bakura leapt into the air and flew down right over the man. The leader's eyes looked up in terror, as the hazy form of his killer swiftly jumped over him and sliced the air with his two blades.

Bakura's russet brown eyes were the last thing he saw, as the blades slid over the leader's neck and carved into his flesh, slicing it open. He fell to the ground, a pool of dark blood forming beneath him and spreading out, finalizing his dramatic death.

Ishizu stared at the leader, the one who had been so close to having his way with her, lying on the ground with his neck cut open and crimson blood flowing from the wound like a flood. His eyes were still open, frozen in terror from the last sight he saw before the impact. She shivered, his dead body burned into her memory forever.

But he was far from her thoughts as the albino thief landed near her and Anzu, the two blood-stained blades still in his hands as he got up. He stood wearily, swaying a little, but still confident as he came to full height and grinned, enjoying the look of terror and relief in Ishizu's eyes. He sighed heavily, as he felt his body nearly give out from under him.

"Are you alright?" Ishizu asked, cautious. Bakura looked at her with half-lidded eyes.

"Of course! Who do I look like, Ryou?" His body then gave out, as he crumpled to his knees and breathed harshly, trying to let his borrowed vessel catch up with the catastrophic movements he had just managed. He could sense Ryou worrying within him, concerned about his fall—he smirked inwardly, assuring his hikari that he was fine. Then Ryou prompted to chide him for calling him weak… which didn't sit too well with the ex-Tomb Robber.

_I thought I closed the link! Stay silent, host._ And before Ryou could utter another word their mind connection was rapidly closed off, leaving him to sit quietly in his soul room as he recalled the horrible fear in Samira's servant's emerald eyes.

Ishizu watched Bakura, equally concerned. "Bakura, are you _sure_ you're alright?"

"Never… ugh, been… better" he hissed. He glanced over to his right, where Odion had currently been battling with the other soldiers, only to find said servants on the ground as Odion came over with his trusty wrench still in hand. He appeared just as exhausted as Bakura did at the moment, but he continued to hobble over to the best of his abilities as he then knelt beside Ishizu and Bakura, panting lightly. Ishizu placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Odion…."

"So, you fight pretty well for someone stuck underground your whole life" Bakura commented, earning a stiff smile from the tired Tomb Keeper. It was almost too faint to hear but it sounded as though Odion let out a fatigued chuckle.

"Years of practice, for protecting Master Malik" he said, as he wiped a bead of sweat from his tanned brow. "Now it has found a purpose."

"Are you injured anywhere, Odion?" Ishizu asked. Odion shook his head.

"Not that I am aware of, Miss Ishizu. I believe I am fine." With that he attempted to stand, but in his haste to prove his health he quickly realized that he wasn't as alright as he thought he was—somewhere along the line of his battles he wounded his left leg, making it difficult to stand. He groaned as pain shot up his injured leg, and he instantly went back down to kneeling on the ground. Ishizu gasped as he fell, unsure what to do. Bakura simply watched him, unsure as well but plenty aware of Odion's injuries.

"Looks like you got hit pretty good somewhere" Bakura snickered. Odion didn't respond as he tried to nurse his leg and dull the striking pain that thundered within it. "But, I think we got rid of most of these fools. Now we can steal one of their vehicles and head out to Samira's headquarters, perhaps in time to help out that bastard of a Pharaoh."

Ishizu nodded, ignoring his last comment made about her king. He was right—they had taken down the majority of the slaves, and Bakura might have enough left in him to take down whoever was left. Still, something nudged at the back of her mind, and she could not get rid of it. Something that made her feel uneasy… like they were being watched.

She gazed out beyond Bakura and Odion, to see at the rest of the cavern around them. Suddenly her eyes grew wide, as she stared out at something ahead of them. At her mysterious silence Odion took notice, questioning the odd look in her eyes.

"Miss Ishizu, is something wrong?" Ishizu nodded, her body trembling as she brought a shaking hand up to point at something beyond them. Bakura and Odion turned, curious, but their eyes were met with a sight that only made their bodies ache with their wounds. Bakura growled menacingly.

"Holy shit…" Bakura hissed.

Moans and scrapes were heard all around the hideout as the unconscious bodies of the fallen soldiers began to stir and recoil. They got up slowly, struggling as their vessels moved and came up to full height, standing as they groaned about their own injuries. They all stood together in unison, like a zombie horror movie, as they stared over at Bakura and the others with dismal gazes that called for spilled blood. Their presence was overbearing, as they were now surrounded on all angles by these persistent foes.

"Oh my Ra…!" Odion exclaimed, trying to stand so as to retaliate, but quickly succumbing to the pain that left his leg useless to a fault. Then his gaze turned to the man that Bakura had recently slaughtered, and he nearly shouted in fright.

The blood was receding, back into the corpse of the servants' leader! With a sickening gurgle the body soaked back up the blood as though drinking it in, like a sponge in a very disgusting comparison. Then, when all the blood seemed to be returned, the body began to move—first it simply trembled, then the arms and legs struggled to find footing as the once-dead soldier got onto his knees. Bakura, Odion, and Ishizu watched in mute horror as the body then progressed onto its feet, swaying a little at first but slowly standing proud as its back straightened with a nauseating crackling of its spine. It stood still for a moment, as though catching its breath, before wheeling sharply to show the stunned fighters his hideous appearance.

Two large gashes streaked across the flesh of his neck, where blood should have been dripping from but somehow had ceased. His eyes were no longer a jade color, instead becoming all white as though his eyes had rolled back inside his skull—yet, the expression on his face was clear as he grinned maniacally, like a psycho-killer on the hunt for his first murder. His teeth glistened in the dark twilight of the cavern, as he hobbled over to join his crew of servants, all of them standing together like the march of the corpses. Ishizu stifled a scream as Bakura watched them, revolted.

"Can't you idiots just die?" he hissed, and the leader smiled absently. He looked like he wasn't all there at first, and then his focus became sharp as he took a secure step towards them.

"I'm afraid, it's not all that easy, mate" the leader said teasingly, and his crew joined in with various chuckles and snickers. "The Queen has gifted us with …'special' talents that obviously come in handy, whenever we feel a bit down." More chuckles and snickers abound. "We're ready for Round Two… and it looks like you blokes are out of the running." Then they began to advance, coming closer as they loomed over them, their eyes wide with a list as they knew they would soon quench shortly. Some of them moaned a little in anticipation.

Bakura stiffened, trying to stand. He knew he could still fight them, if he had the energy to get to his feet. He would have made another effort to do so, if he hadn't heard a light groan behind him that sounded awfully female and familiar. Abruptly he turned to see Anzu, who should have still been unconscious, stirring a little bit as she clenched her fist, her eyes fluttering a bit as she was obviously returning to her vessel. Bakura grimaced.

_About time_, he thought as he felt the mind slaves draw ever closer. _A little late then never… but about damn time_.

---

Author's Note: _Gomen! I hate cutting you guys off there, but I have to. It makes for the suspense._

_Review me! You know you wanna! _


	57. What's In My Heart

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Wow, so much feedback… I'm dizzy with all the LOVE! Here's who I shall give my ultimate thanks_:

**Elfbrat18, ArchangelAki, Estriel, spiritfire, Nenny, LadyLuck22, Maridel, Ancient Dreams, becky, Isis the Sphinx.**

_You guys SO rock! I'm still waiting on the rest of you, though_...

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 57: What's In My Heart….**

_Anzu soared through the tunnel of radiance, her body as light a feather as she felt the warm current of light and benevolence flood around her in a steady stream. She was going home… oh how she was going home. She felt the Shadow Realm far behind her, and she was returning to her world, to consciousness in her own body. She would restart the journey again: the one to save Atemu and the others. And this time, she would be stronger, for them._

_Her fight with Yami Marik and the dark illusion of Yugi had proven the strength of her heart this day. Her heart would overcome the obstacles that followed her escape, and her soul held true to its word—she would return, and with it, darkness would be over-thrown to the best of her abilities._

_She would be there for the others, as they had been for her._

_Suddenly her body came to a stop in the middle of the tunnel of light, and she floated there, bobbing lightly as she looked around, trying to see anything in the brightness. There was only light, and so much of it—Anzu enveloped herself in it as she enjoyed the feeling as she had been away from it for so long… the lack of light in the Shadow Realm deprived her of it. Now her soul thirsted for it, and she received it in overwhelming amounts. She drank it in, smiling to herself, feeling the warm blanket of light caress her softly._

'_I wish my friends could feel this', she thought to herself as she was immersed in the sweet intoxicating light, her senses discovering the passion that was held within its magnificent brilliance. She wondered if this was what heaven was like… had Atemu been in a place this wonderful, and his soul ventured to heights of this joy and sensuality? Had his heart been uplifted as her was now?_

_But there were other pressing matters—Anzu had to return to the realm of her world, to her now invaded home where the dark princess was continuing her zealous reign. She had her heart there, her love there, her ambition there… the determination fueled from her fights alone to stop this woman, even if it would take her life away to do so. She would want her friends to be happy, and if she had to do this, then that is what she would do. She had no doubts in her mind. _

_Yugi suddenly materialized in spirit form in front of her floating soul. Anzu looked at him, memorizing the light smile on his transparent face, and how she would return this appearance to the real Yugi. He gazed at her with innocent amethyst orbs, his ghostly form suspended right in front of her own._

"_Well, this is the end of the road, Anzu" he said confidently. "It's time for you to go back to the real world."_

"_I know, Yugi" she said solemnly. "And I'm glad that you helped me—if it wasn't for you and the others, Marik would have had me, or worse, he would have gotten out too." Anzu shivered at the thought, remembering Yami Marik's icy grasp upon her ankle as he had tried to follow her back to the realm of light. But he was gone now, gone forever—and she would be free to fight with her friends once again. Yugi smiled._

"_It wasn't just us, Anzu. You defeated the illusion of me, remember? If you hadn't been strong enough to beat him, than you would have been a victim to the darkness before we could help you here."_

_Anzu looked past Yugi, her eyes distant. "Yeah, but even then you were helping me. You were all with me, cheering me on. I could never have done this without you guys." Yugi nodded._

"_That's what friends are for, right?" he said, winking lightly. Anzu returned the look, filled with so much happiness. She was drunk with so much light, almost dizzy with it and the joy that came from it—but she had to stay focused, and serious. This was no time to fool around._

_She smiled at Yugi. "Still… thank you, Yugi. When I get back to the real world, I promise I'll remove Samira's hold on you and the others—I'll free everyone and take her down."_

_Yugi nodded firmly. "We know you will, Anzu. We all believe in you, and it's our belief in each other that will keep us strong." Anzu felt like crying a little—oh how she had missed Yugi, even if he had only been a slave for a few days. With his warmth so absent, her soul felt cold knowing where he was—seeing him again made her feel so relieved. "And you have your own powers too. The cartouche will assist you when you get back."_

_Anzu's eyes looked at her chest curiously, at the golden pendant that still hung from its thin white-gold chain around her neck. It was still for now, but Anzu could sense its power, the silent pulsing of magic that she had once felt in Atemu's cartouche. Light reflected off its metallic surface, and it glimmered under the swirling light that was the tunnel between the realms. _

"_My cartouche?" Anzu asked, intrigued. As if she had called its name the pendant glowed a little with its faint white radiance, displaying its hidden power. "But I thought it was Atemu's cartouche that had powers, not mine."_

"_Well, that was true, but then two pendants bonded together to help save you against Kaiba" Yugi commented, extending his semi-transparent hand to feel the smooth face of the cartouche. "When that happened, some of Atemu's strength went into it, to help you if you were ever without it. And some of your soul is here as well, as you light holds power that has kept you strong all this time." Yugi smiled up at his friend, before placing a hand on her shoulder. "It should heal wounds and other scars unseen. Just call upon your heart, on us, and it should be rendered to you, Anzu."_

_Anzu gazed down at her necklace, admiring it now. So small and seemingly harmless, yet filled with so much power… her power, and that of her friends. Her lips curved into a soft smile as she resisted the urge to cry—her tears were unnecessary as of now, not when her bravery was required instead. She wiped one droplet that threatened to spill from her azure eyes, and then reached over to embrace Yugi's soul before she left. He had appeared translucent, but his form was completely solid as she grasped him, and he too wrapped his arms around her, feeling her warm soul entwine with his._

"_Good bye, Yugi…" she whispered into the hug, realizing that she didn't want to let go—she didn't want to release him, not when she knew what she would meet when she did. She would see him again, bound by will and spirit to the demon woman that she was to defeat, his vacant amethyst eyes peering into her own with an emptiness that only left her cold and alone. She didn't wish to face that again—not when she could stay here and soak in his spirit, feel his heart before her as she held him close. A lone tear manage to slip past her this time, gently traveling down her cheek as she wished this moment not to end._

"_It's not goodbye, Anzu. I'm always with you" Yugi's spirit said into her, and Anzu tightened her hold on him, trying not to weep. She had to be strong for them, she had to be brave…but when her eyes felt like they were holding back the Nile she knew she could not bear this to go on. Her heart had to cry, she had to release her agony. She couldn't hold it in when the battle began, not when she might see Yugi again, not like this. "You'll do fine out there, Anzu. Now hurry—Atemu's waiting for you."_

_At the mention of the Pharaoh's name Anzu's heart jolted. 'Atemu… he's waiting for me. I told him to wait, and that's what he'll do'. She remembered when she and he were together, when their spirits touched at the moment of their kiss, when lips and hearts met and collided with recognized passion and heart-break. She remembered his face, his bronze skin and violet jewels for eyes… she remembered how he cried out her name when she was pulled back into the darkness. His spirit would not rest until hers was brought back home… it was her duty unto him… it was her duty to her heart._

_Yugi broke their embrace, and Anzu had to reluctantly comply. "I promise, Yugi—I'll free you from Samira's grasp. I'll rescue your soul from the darkness."_

_Yugi nodded, his amethyst eyes slightly misty as he held his emotions firm. "I know Anzu, I know. Just remember—wherever you go, we are all there, in your heart and in your soul. You have your memories of us—those are what keep us alive. I may not be myself in the real world, but as a memory, I'll live forever in your heart. And so will Joey and Tristan, Ryou and Serenity, everyone we know and care for. And Atemu." He placed his hand to her hand—the one where she had drawn the friendship symbol, and though the ink was faded and gone the mark glowed a holy white, and Anzu gasped at its beauty. Yugi smiled, his eyes distant. "We're in your heart, Anzu. We're with you all the way. Now go, hurry back and save us all! I know Atemu will be glad to see you!"_

"_He'll be glad to see you too, Yugi…" Anzu said, sniffling a little as she held back her tears, the leaking of her heart as it wept. If she concentrated hard enough she could feel them all within her—Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Atemu—cheering her on, watching over her. She was never alone, and this was her proof. Suddenly she felt an odd sensation run through her veins, and she gasped, panicking._

"_What—" she looked down at her hand, the one with the symbol of her friends on it, and noticed that her body was becoming transparent like Yugi's. The only problem was that she was continuing to fade, her body becoming a wispy cloud of nothing before her. Her eyes widened in shock, but Yugi only smiled. _

"_You're going back Anzu. There's nothing to fear" Yugi assured her, and Anzu calmed herself as she watched her hand disappear from view. She looked down and the rest of her body was fading in just the same way, turning into mist and swirling in the vortex of light that whipped around her in spirals. The room was suddenly glowing, so bright that she could no longer see, as Yugi began to vanish away into the brilliance, along with her consciousness._

"_Good luck, Anzu!" Yugi called out, his voice drowned out by the light as it swirled fiercely, so loud it droned in Anzu's ears. Somehow though, she was unafraid now. She felt like she was about to fall asleep, and wake up as though nothing had happened, and she let her eyelids droop as the light consumed her whole being._

"_See you soon, Yugi…" she whispered, before the light was suddenly gone_, _replaced with the eerie feeling of darkness._

_---_

At first Anzu was scared, thinking that the Shadow Realm had found her again and had sucked soul back into the depths of her heart. She was about to scream when she discovered that the dimness was only the darkness behind her eyelids, and that she was really back in her own body, back in the real world once again. She clenched and unclenched her hands, groaning a bit as she tried to awaken her tired vessel from its soulless sleep, trying to stagger back to something close to consciousness.

_I'm back_! she thought victoriously, feeling herself breathe in deeply the hot, dry air that was the Egyptian lands, and soak in the warm darkness that surrounded her form. She could feel people next to her, and she could hear talking—it was muffled at first as she tried to escape the confines of her rest, but then grew louder as she started to awaken. She could hear a husky voice hiss something—it had to be Bakura! She smiled a little inwardly, thinking about how pissed off he must have been for her sleeping the whole time. Then she heard Ishizu gasp… but it had an air of being frightened, and this made Anzu shift uncomfortably. _What's going on_?

Then she heard a voice she did not recognize—it was dark and gruff, with an accent she could not place, sounding something like Australian. This made her heart skip a beat—she didn't know who that was talking, and it made her feel the tenseness that hung thickly in the air. Something was wrong, she could sense it. But what?

Cautiously she let her eyelids flutter open, taking in the dark ceiling of the cavern hide-out they had found yesterday. _So we're still here at the hide-out… that's good… but we're not alone._ Fear shot through her like adrenaline, as she realized what that meant—Samira's soldiers were here as well… they had been found! Quickly she sat upright, and the sight before her was not what she would have liked to see

Ishizu and Odion were beside her, and Bakura was knelt on her left side closer to her legs. She noticed the pained expression on both males' faces—they were hurt, injured in some way. They must have been in a battle of some sort, to defend the cavern. When her gaze did not fix upon the Pharaoh, she became nervous—where was Atemu? Why wasn't he with them? But that was the least of her worries.

In front of her were a good group of men, all of them in black ninja-like garb – the display of Samira's men. One of them was at the front, the one that must have been the leader, and his appearance shocked her the most. It was like a zombie movie, when the heroes try to kill the undead but they end up coming back for revenge. His face was twisted in a maniacal grin, his chestnut locks strewn all around his head in a messy fashion, his eyes all white and terrifying to behold, and what was the most startling ended up being the two slash marks that raced along the flesh of his neck. They looked fresh, and were over enough veins to have killed him instantly—yet there he was, standing before them in a blazing glory, his teeth bared in a crazed grimace that made Anzu's flesh tingle with goose bumps.

Now she **really** wished that she had stayed in the tunnel of light.

Apparently the rest of her crew heard her awaken as well, because Bakura was looking at her as he panted from over-exhaustion. A small smirk graced his lips as a bead of sweat slipped down the side of his face.

"Took ya long enough" he said, before gazing back at the on coming group of undead fighters. The leader was watching Anzu intently, obviously aware that she had just arrived from unconsciousness—he cocked his head to the right as he looked at her with his all white eyes.

"Good morning, little darling…" he said darkly, receiving equally interested chuckles from the rest of his crew. "How nice of you ta join us, just in time to see us beat the snot outta your little albino friend here…."

"Oh shut up, you undying piece of crap" Bakura hissed tiredly, using one of the swords he stole as a stand as he attempted to get to his feet. His body trembled at the effort, too weak to make such an accomplishment. He looked back onto everyone else, meeting frightened eyes as he slumped back down to his knees. "Anybody got a plan? I call slice and dice."

Ishizu glared at Bakura. "No more jokes, Tomb Robber!" she whispered harshly. "We have to get out of here as fast as possible. And you're in no condition to 'slice and dice', so hold off that thought for now!"

Bakura gaze her an annoyed sneer. "Easy for you to say—you can't fight your way out of a paper bag, Ishizu." Anzu looked to everyone, trying to find an answer to what on Ra's green earth was going on.

"Um, guys, care to fill me in?" Anzu asked quietly, hating the lusting look that the leader of the mind slaves was generously giving her. "What's going on? Where's Atemu?" Bakura looked down to her, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Let's see… while you were out, Kaiba got something up his ass and charged out into the desert, Atemu got carried away by a bird servant on his own will to Samira's place, and we are currently being attack by pompous servants who won't **die**. Does that sum it up for you?"

Anzu nodded uncertainly, but then took in what he had just said. Her eyes dilated in panic. "Wait, Atemu left! And he went **where**!"

"Hey mates, I could listen to you blabber all day, but I got orders to take you to my Queen" the leader of the slave fighters said casually, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "If you're not gonna make the first move… then I'll have ta make mine…."

"Argh, I'm gonna shut your trap—" Bakura tried to stand but in his haste was quickly overcome by his injuries; he yelped in pain before collapsing to the ground, his body shaky as he tried to prop himself up from the ground, but it was to no avail. His swords fell from his hands with a clank as the blood that semi-dried on the metallic blades was dusted with sand from the floor, and were left on the ground near Bakura, useless. He panted sharply, trying to regain his strength, but Ryou's vessel refused to obey—he was down for the count, and he knew it.

"Bakura!" Anzu shouted in worry—how injured was he that the Thief King couldn't even stand? She scrambled from her sitting position, kneeling before him as she tried to help him up. She could hear him hiss between ragged breaths, "I can do it myself", but he obviously couldn't as his wobbly arms couldn't even push his upper body from the ground. Her eyes were filled with concern… it seemed that the real world needed her more than she thought. The leader snickered in the background.

"Well, it looks like he's not gonna live ta fight another day" the brunette soldier mused teasingly, earning a rough growl from the white-haired spirit. "Poor bloke… I should at least do ya the honor of takin' ya outta your misery, eh?" He gestured towards one of his troop members, and he was given a long katana in response. Gripping the blade in his hand, he looked at his reflection in the silver metal, grinning to himself as he admired his appearance. "This should do just fine."

"Bakura, you have to get up!" Anzu hissed to the tomb robber, her arms trying to grasp under his to pull him up. He was too heavy for her to elevate, and he was refusing her help besides.

"I'm fine—get the hell off me!" He whispered. Anzu shook her head, frustrated.

"No, you're not! You're hurt! Let me help you!" Anzu watched as he tried to use his arm to shove her away, but failed as his arm fell limply beside him. He breathed heavily, sweat pouring from his brow and neck; his hair was matted with sweat, as his clothes hugged his body, clinging to his moist skin. It was a pitiful sight, the tomb robber struggling so, and Anzu wished she didn't have to see it. She couldn't lift him up; she wasn't bodily strong enough to do that. _Still, there has to be **something** I can do_….

Out of nowhere, Yugi's words echoed through her mind, as if he were right behind her, whispering tenderly: "_The cartouche will assist you when you get back_…._ It should heal wounds and other scars unseen. Just call upon your heart, on us, and it should be rendered to you, Anzu._"

_I forgot about the cartouche_! Anzu, with this instant realization in her mind, gently placed Bakura on the ground as he continued to try and get up. Swiftly she fumbled with her necklace, finding the cartouche as it hung from around her neck as always—as her skin touched its cool metallic surface, she felt a tingle of power flow through her fingertips; that was the power she needed right now. She then grasped the golden pendant with her left hand, wrapping her fingers around it tightly, as she then found Bakura's clammy hand and held it with her right. Bakura looked up, startled by her holding his hand so tightly, and curious as to what she was doing. Ishizu and Odion were just as inquiring.

"Anzu, what are you—"

"No time to explain, Ishizu!" Anzu said, before closing her eyes. "I have to concentrate." With her eyes closed she was able to focus inside of herself, let her mind drift inwardly to her soul and her heart. As she gripped her cartouche she could sense what she could not when her eyes were open—the unseen power, the gentle light that will forever coarse under the golden sheen and her inscribed name. Her name held her being, held her power and her spirit, like Atemu's name did for him. She may not have been as strong as the Pharaoh nor did she have any ties to the Shadow Realm and its dark magic, but her love was her own strength. She pinpointed it, finding it in the depths of her soul, and at that moment she felt the presence of her memories flow over her like the tide—there was Yugi, Joey, Tristan, surrounding her like angels from the heavens, floating over her as they placed their hand on her shoulder, lending their friendship to her.

Then in the darkness a royal figure approached, his light outshining even the sun… Atemu was there too. In her memories, in her heart, he was there, smiling at her. She became engulfed in his essence, letting it coarse through her veins as it was injected through her spirit—she did not know it then but at that point her body glowed with a holy golden radiance that made everyone cover their eyes. A wind that was not there before spiraled through the chamber, making Anzu's chestnut locks float as she filled her vessel with as much power as she could take….

"What in the Queen's name—" the leader exclaimed, shielding his eyes from the light. Bakura looked up to see Anzu, her form as heavenly as an angel as she flourished with this brilliance—he could hear Ryou gasp inside of him, as the link managed to open in Bakura's weakening and now Ryou could see through his yami's eyes at the sight that displayed before them. Then his body started to feel light and warm….

"What's happening!" Ishizu shouted, covering her cerulean eyes in attempt to not be blinded. Odion managed to keep his eyes open, watching the spectacle as the light surrounded everyone in the room, even the slaves. Then he felt a sensation run through him—it was comforting, like a hot bath when the water runs over his aching muscles and sore wounds. He relished in this feeling, whatever it was… it felt like the injuries were being cleansed away….

Anzu felt her own spirit floating in the ecstasy—it was her love turned into healing power, changed into a magic that she was now using. Like when she was attacked by Kaiba, and the light from both cartouches had enveloped her before, healing her wounds as well as those of her companions. This time she was the one who summoned it forth, and it was to her that it obeyed.

Her eyes shot open, and they glowed a bright azure like sapphires under the light of the burning sun. From this motion her enchantment suddenly exploded around them, as if a star had died and imploded in upon itself. The light washed away the room, leaving it along in a universe of pureness that cleansed everything in its wake….

The light died away, vanishing as though it was never there. Ishizu uncovered her eyes, looking around in surprise that the light had just left so… quickly. She gazed about, looking over to Anzu to see the girl slump where she sat, as if she had been knocked out. Immediately Ishizu's eyes dilated as she arose to see her status.

"Anzu? Are you alright?" Ishizu asked, concern laced in her voice. She ran over, forgetting that there were slaves that stood before her, and rushed to kneel in front of Anzu, trying to look at the girl's downcast face. If she was hurt now, just from coming back from the Shadow Realm, the Pharaoh would be so upset…. "Anzu, answer me!"

A mumble escaped the girl's lips as she was roused from her dazed state, blinking a few times as she tried to adjust her eyes to the darkness of the cave. Had the magic worked? After she had induced the full amount of her heart her mind had blanked out, consumed by the magic she summoned, and it had burst from her as her body became the vessel of all that intense light. Anzu was still trying to get her bearings, her mind still stunned from the impact of all that immense force flowing freely through her.

"I'm okay, Ishizu" Anzu said kindly, assuring the curator as she brushed a bit of her brown hair from her face. She then gazed down to where her hand held Bakura's, only to see that her hand gripped empty air instead.

"Bakura?" she asked, before looking around wildly; he had vanished, but to where? Had her magic gone awry and caused him to disappear? She felt her heart sink as she thought of the possibility… here she was trying to help and her magic would just have to screw up and send Bakura to a netherworld or something. Suddenly her gaze caught onto a figure standing up beside her, his smirk growing as she gasped in surprise.

"Bakura!" she breathed in relief; Bakura chuckled as he offered her his hand, helping her to her feet as his russet browns eyes glimmered with a second wind.

"Thanks for the health boost, Anzu" he commented, his rough voice now filled with energy and anticipation as he was filled with the healing power that Anzu had soaked his system with. He bent down to pick up his "borrowed" katana blades, gripping them tightly as he assumed an attack position, swords in the air and ready to fight. "Just what the doctor ordered, now I can finish what I started."

Anzu sighed in relief, glad that Bakura was back to normal and obviously a little overzealous to take down whoever opposed them. Hearing foot falls behind her, Anzu abruptly turned to see Odion standing now as well, a stern look on his bronze face as he moved to stand beside them. She grinned as he looked at her, his green eyes a bit soft as the hieroglyphs on his face wrinkled with the curving of his lips into a slight smile. "Odion!"

Odion nodded in reply. "I thank you for the healing as well, Miss Anzu. Now we can resume our battle, and get you to safety as soon as possible." He held up the wrench in his hand defiantly, and Bakura only sighed in aggravation before reaching down to find the gun that the leader had dropped when he was supposed to 'die', and handed it to Odion. The Egyptian took the gun instead, holding it gingerly enough to make Bakura grimace. "It's not a bomb, Odion—just a better weapon than that stupid monkey wrench you got there."

"I'll take that then" Ishizu said, grabbing the wrench and holing it like a combat weapon. Anzu smiled, feeling the presence of her friends and companions surround her protectively. They were reunited again, ready to take on whatever came at them.

Anzu gazed in front of her, looking upon the mind slaves that had been ready to assault her and her friends; apparently her magic had the same effect on the soldiers as it did when it was used against Kaiba, as they looked stunned from her spell. Many had dazed looks on their bloodthirsty faces, some swaying where they stood as they tried to regain their composure. The leader looked especially bewildered, as he held his head and groaned at the power that had been released from the girl he was supposed to capture. Bakura grinned menacingly at the looks on their faces, as he slid the two blades against one another to make a shrill noise that sent chills up everyone's spines.

"Heh heh… look who's in no condition to fight now, eh 'mate'?" Bakura mocked as he licked his lips. "I guess I should do you the honor of putting you out of your misery, but I have better things to waste time on, unlike you." He turned to Anzu, his brown eyes filled with a glint of exhilaration. "Let's go to Samira's palace! We can take one of their nice little jeeps and head out now, making it there by at least nightfall." Anzu consented, nodding as both her and Bakura started jogging around the mind slaves and towards the outside of the cavern. Ishizu and Odion followed suit.

As Anzu and Bakura ran outside, her eyes adjusted to the setting sun's light, letting her see the ocean of sand being overtaken by the reddish glow of the celestial body that was named Ra as it now sank below the horizon line. The wind had kicked up, sending waves of sand dancing in its wake, washing gently over two sleek black jeeps that were parked in the desert not far from the entrance to their hide-out. She followed Bakura, running behind him as he approached one of the jeeps and jumped in. He was a faster runner than her, and managed to get in quickly as he leapt into the front seat. He grinned as he noticed the keys still in the ignition.

_Fools thought they would finish us off quickly_. He turned the keys, letting the engine rumble to life as he gripped the steering wheel with power. _At least this time, **I'll** be in control of this ride—no more motion sickness for the thief!_ He looked up to see Anzu running as fast as she could, and he hissed in annoyance.

"Any slower? I'll die of old age before we can leave!" he teased, aggravated, and Anzu glared at him from where she tried to jog. It took her a moment to remember why she didn't like being in the desert right now—running in sand and high heel boots didn't mix. She once again took up the struggle to not fumble on her feet as she trudged through the plush bronze dust. She was only a few feet from the passenger side door now.

_Almost there_, she thought, trying to ignore the burning in her legs from the sudden burst of running after a few hours of rest. She was concentrating on it so much, that she didn't notice the presence that snuck up behind her at extreme speeds. Bakura saw the shadow as it sped behind the Japanese girl, and he grimaced as he shouted, "Anzu, behind you!"

"Huh?" The brunette glanced behind her, and nearly staggered when the shadow lunched over her, ready to pounce. Bakura tried to get out of the jeep, but he knew he would never be fast enough—Anzu screamed, ready to be hit, but as she stumbled from fright onto the sand she saw her cavalry come into view—Odion tackled the servant, sending him crashing into the ground. Anzu watched as he punched the man in the head, and after that the solider laid limply, his body finally unmoving. Odion sighed as he got off the servant, and helped to bring Anzu back up to her feet.

"Thanks so much Odion!" she said, still trying to catch her breath from the shock of nearly being attacked. Odion shook his head modestly, before becoming serious.

"It was my duty, Miss Anzu… but now is not the time. Go with the Thief King to Samira's palace. Hurry, there isn't much time!" He pointed to the jeep, but Anzu knew where he was getting at. She looked at him with worry.

"But what about you and Ishizu!" she asked, before looking past Odion to see the curator using her wrench to hit one soldier in the face. They were swarming out from inside the cavern, the dazed looks that once adorned their faces replaced with sharp attention and displeasure at being fooled so easily. The leader emerged amongst them, a harsh scowl on his face as he spotted Anzu. He pointed to her, and fear swept through Anzu as she saw the look of rage painted in his eyes.

"There you are!" he shouted angrily. "You won't get away again!" Instantly he began to charge, and Odion turned back to Anzu.

"We have to stay here, Miss Anzu! To hold them off! Now go, please! I will not be able to keep them at bay for too long!" Anzu saw the desperation in his eyes, the pleading, and she nodded reluctantly. Her heart grew heavy with guilt—Odion and Ishizu were sacrificing themselves for her well-being, for her to be safe and alive. She had only known them during the Battle City tournament and when Atemu had left for the Afterlife, but she knew them to be good people—she did not wish to leave them here where they could be killed and it would be her fault!

But she had to… it was what Odion and Ishizu wanted her to do. She knew they would be far more devastated if Anzu were to be captured here, or worse, die… she knew that she had to get to Atemu and stop Samira, that sacrifices had to be made, but why them? Why couldn't she save them too?

"I… I can't leave you guys!" Anzu shouted, her voice shaky. Ishizu heard this as she knocked one guy out, hitting him over the head with the wrench viciously. She looked up to sternly gaze at the youthful girl, her face distraught.

"Anzu, do as Odion says!" Ishizu commanded. "You need to stop Samira, help the Pharaoh! None of us can do that if you are dead! Please, leave us to take care of these men!" Anzu knew she was right. Odion and Ishizu could take care of themselves—it was herself that she should be worried about. The leader was approaching quickly, a venomous look in his eyes as he neared his target. Anzu backed up, terrified, as he tried lunched to grab her by the throat—he almost would have, if Odion hadn't grabbed his arm instead.

"Stay out of this!" the leader growled, and Odion only tightened his grip on the man's arm.

"You have no right to hurt Miss Anzu!" he said sharply, before turning back to Anzu. "Please Miss Anzu! Go, now!"

Anzu stood still, watching as the leader struggled against Odion's firm grasp. The breeze ran through her chestnut locks, sending them astir as she looked at Odion with determination in her azure eyes. She nodded.

"Thank you, Odion, Ishizu." she said, before turning to head for the jeep. Odion watched the young teen go, glad that he could at least assure her safety. Maybe she could save Master Malik after all. With that, he turned his attention back to leader whose arm he now squeezed with his right hand, as he jabbed him in the stomach with his left.

Anzu looked up as she ran to see Bakura had been yelling at her, his patience already thinning as he honked on the horn, irritated. Smiling at how pissed he acted, Anzu promptly opened the car door, slid inside, and shut it with force just as Bakura set the car into drive and stepped on the gas; the engine roared to life as the wheels turned in the sand, sending clouds of it into the air behind them. Bakura gripped the steering wheel, grinning like a mad man as the jeep zoomed forward, heading for the cave. Anzu's face paled as she gripped the car for dear life—this wasn't the direction they should be going in.

"Bakura, what are you doing!" she shouted, her knuckled turning white from grasping the car door so tightly. She looked over at the albino thief, and noticed how overly-ecstatic he looked. Never a good sign. The canyon wall was coming closer, like they were falling towards the floor and could not be stopped. "BAKURA!"

"Oh shut it!" he yelled, as he jerked the steering wheel all the way around so that the car did a complete one eighty right on a dime— the wind was knocked right out of Anzu as her neck crunched with whip-lash from the extreme feat. The jeep stopped, the jarring movement too much for it to continue driving just yet. Anzu thought she left her stomach back in the cave at this point, her face frozen in terror as the jeep, in its U-turn, took out at least three terrified mind slaves when Bakura had zoomed towards the cave. Anzu sighed, feeling lucky that it hadn't been Odion or Ishizu—knowing Bakura he would have run over them too.

"Hold on!" Bakura yelled. Anzu sighed—like she wasn't already clinging on for what was left of her life now. The car started up again, the one-eighty it just did far behind them now as Bakura let the engine roar with vigor. He slammed his foot on the gas, sending the car flying forward towards the desert—it soared over a large sand dune like a bird in mid-flight. Anzu screamed, her eyes closed in terror.

If the mind slaves didn't kill her, Bakura's driving would. She just hoped that she would end up getting to Atemu in one solid piece.

---

Author's Note: _Phew, that was a doozy to write. Review me soon, if you want more of this wholesome GOODNESS! _


	58. Of Shadows and Ancient Love

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Wow peeps, the love is obvious this time around! Look at all these reviews!_ (Looks around at all the reviews, and sighs) _Ah, you guys make me feel SO loved…_:D

_Who ta give my thanks to? These wonderful peeps of mine:_

**Ancient Dreams, feyannabellee, spiritfire, Maridel, Elfbrat18, SeleneXAngel, becca, Isis the Sphinx, Nenny, ArchangelAki, ANZU&ATEMU FAN, markyc58, **_and_** inuyashagirl22**

_And… I have hit 400th reviews! That's right, folks, another marker has been conquered! (Confetti flies EVERYWHERE!) Do y'all wanna know who it is? Well, here ya go: my 400th reviewer is_...

_Inuyashagirl22!_

_I think she actually read my entire fanfic in a whole day, because I received… what was the number…thirteen reviews in a DAY! I must commend her on that… 57 chapters takes a while… great job! You get a giant hot cookie and an Atemu plushie!_

_Hehehe, now onto the story! But, before I do, read this:_

**Warning: This chapter may contain secrets that, when revealed, may shock you, torment you, and will make you wanna read the next chapter to find out what in Ra's name happened. And it will hopefully make you review because your jaw WILL be hanging open by the end. Thank you**.

_Just though I'd warn ya ahead of time._

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 58: Of Shadows and Ancient Love….**

They charged towards each other—tainted light and benign darkness—in a confrontation that Atemu never thought he would ever take part in. Yugi was his aibou, his partner, his soul counterpart… they had once been two halves of a divine whole, a yin and yang bound by fate to fight the evils that plagued the world. They had shared thoughts and feelings, goals and dreams… he had once thought of himself to be Yugi's darkness, the shadow of his heart where he announced himself to be the light, never a separate person but instead the hidden piece of Yugi's puzzled heart. Now he was fighting this same soul, this same youth who had resurrected him from the emptiness of his broken memories to save the future of mankind once again. He was fighting to free him from a darkness that together they would have been out to stop and vanquish, once and for all.

But his aibou had fallen victim to this temptress's powers, and it was up to Atemu to help him find the light. Even if it meant fighting him till he could battle no more.

And Yugi, the kind-hearted soul whose smile chased away the darkness within him, was worth it, heart and soul….

Though their fists were meant for each other's faces, somehow they met at each other, the force between them was so determined that the air literally rippled with their power. For a moment they held this position, fists touching as their eyes met with feelings that spread all over the spectrum. Atemu's was of warm, passionate heliotrope, filled with violet flames that spoke of his will and desire to see his aibou free. They were sharp and fierce, but held within them was the honor of a Pharaoh and his undying resolve—it spoke of never losing, and how the victory would be everything.

He had everything to gain, and everything to lose.

Yugi's, on the other hand, were so cold and filled with bitterness that they could be mistaken for the amethyst crystal itself—they were hard and unforgiving, just as determined as Atemu's but longing with a desire for something far more predatory—the will to kill, to destroy and obliterate. And that was what he saw towards Atemu. All the while Samira sat on her throne, the honored guest of the gladiator's coliseum as she watched with amused eyes, the spectacle that held her interest and satisfied her thirsts. Tonight would be a night to remember… because she would win in the end.

The moment past without much thought, and as their eyes drew away the two fighters jumped away from each other, retracting their fists as they landed perfectly with a few feet in distance between them. Both watched each other with certainty and eagerness, and it was to Yugi that the first move was made.

He lunched forward, his fists in the air as he swung to jab Atemu on his right side. Atemu was faster though, as he leapt into the air to dodge the attack. Yugi growled as Atemu landed off to his left, his purple cloak billowing behind him regally.

Yugi smirked. "Are you going to run from me forever? When will you really **fight**!" With a laugh he ran forward again, his fists up as he tried to go directly for Atemu's face in a straightforward punch. Atemu gracefully moved his head to the side, before placing up his right arm as a block against Yugi's left fist as it tried to get him in the side again. As he pushed against his aibou's arm, he brought up his left leg, using it to kick Yugi in his right side! It caught Yugi off guard, forcing him to the ground as he tried to catch the wind that was knocked out of him in the process.

"Yugi, please, stop this madness!" Atemu said, as he stood over Yugi while the youth struggled to get back to his feet. "Your will is strong—fight off whatever Samira has over you!"

The teen panted, before glaring up at his yami. "You know _nothing_…!" Yugi hissed, before giving up his charade of being weak as he disappeared from where he was on the floor. Atemu blinked, unable to determine where Yugi had gone.

_Where did he go_? Atemu thought, looking around as he tried to sense the boy's presence. Little did he know that Yugi suddenly materialized behind him, grinning in amusement as his eyes narrowed menacingly.

"You should watch your back…" he spat, before doing a roundhouse kick that took out Atemu's feet from under him and sent him crashing to the floor. Quickly the Egyptian king reacted, rolling over just in time to see Yugi coming at him, his right fist in the air as he prepared to slam it upon him! Without thought Atemu rolled away from the hit, just as Yugi's fist came down on the sand-brick floor with so much force that the ground literally **cracked**, a small shockwave traveling through it in a ripple that Atemu felt as he got back to his feet. He looked at Yugi in worry and shock—with so much strength in the hit, the impact would have injured Atemu severely if he had not dodged.

Moreover, hitting the ground with such tremendous force should have wounded Yugi too—any normal person who had punched the ground with enough strength to pierce it would have been howling in pain as their bones became as broken as the floor tile. He should have at least winced or done _something_ to indicate pain….

But something was amiss, as Atemu watched Yugi moving, stunned to see the youth simply retract his arm from the ground as if he had punched a pillow. He slowly turned his attention back to Atemu, a dark look in his already hard eyes as he cracked the joints in his fingers to intimidate the Pharaoh. He smirked at the amazed look on his face.

"Are you afraid now?" Yugi asked, venom in his mocking voice. "Do you see the extent of my Mistress's power? I am gifted like the others, and that is only a taste of what I can do to you…."

_Yugi, what has she done to you_? Atemu backed away a bit, before regaining his composure and bringing himself back up to fighting stance. He gave a fleeting scowl in Samira's direction, to which she only nodded and smiled. Atemu growled, angered at how nonchalant she could be at a time like this.

Samira watched him, interested as he glared at her with so much hatred. _Surprised, little Atemu? Shocked that your former host has so much power? It is only a shame that he will not get to enjoy that power for much longer… time to say farewell, Pharaoh_.

Her thoughts veered sharply as she suddenly sensed the presence of someone familiar… she grimaced as she recognized the sensation. _You're coming closer to me, Akefia, I can feel it… I guess the first jolt wasn't powerful enough to subdue you. I'll change that quickly enough_… _then you'll be sorry for what you did to me_!

"Yugi, this isn't over!" Atemu shouted. "Not until I set you free!"

"Oh really?" Yugi answered back, a biting tone in his normally sweet voice. He stalked near Atemu, before running straight at him.

"Who said I wasn't free now?"

---

The desert zoomed past them as Anzu and Bakura sped over the sand dunes in their borrowed black jeep. The Egyptian sun was a red disk halfway under the horizon line, its hazy twilight giving way to the beautiful hues that etched the sky this day. The sky was a multitude of colors, running together and washing away into the indigo that edged the line of land, waiting for the sun to set before it invaded the fiery sky. Clouds that were once white like cotton were now the canvases for all the sun's brilliant colors, shaded in lilac and mauve, red and orange, yellow and ashen. Shadows clung to the tall sand dunes like ivy, and the wind picked up to erode away the peaks and let their grains travel across the endless sea of sand.

The jeep had slowed to a normal high speed instead of supersonic once they were a good distance away from the canyons and the undead mind slaves. As they drove away Anzu had watched, her eyes filled with tears yet to fall and worries yet to speak, the forms of Odion and Ishizu melting in amongst the other fighting shadows as they rode away towards the desert, and hopefully towards Samira's headquarters. She could only hope now that she had done the right thing in leaving them there, instead leaving with Bakura to fight the main battle that would determine the safety of mankind.

Anzu was glad when Bakura finally had the vehicle stop flying over the sand dunes, now cruising at a normal swiftness that didn't make Anzu feel like they could launch into space if they hit a slope just right. Her knuckles had turned so white that she was afraid she was seeing bone, and she wondered how her face didn't freeze in the expression of terror that she wore for at least five minutes of their unbearably fast flight.

Five minutes can be a very long time when not doing something pleasant, as Anzu soon discovered.

Still, eventually Bakura deemed it safe to let his foot come off the gas a hint, letting them relax a bit as the jeep rode along smoothly—obviously this brand of car had been made for off-road terrain like this, as Anzu could never imagine her mother's van taking the hills of sand this easily. Still, she made sure that her seatbelt was on and she was prepared for whenever Bakura finally lost it and decided to take her on another high-speed ride of death. She prayed that wouldn't be soon, if at all.

But it was good for her to see Bakura again. Her time in the Shadow Realm had been a painful experience overall, for either she was alone or in the presence of Yami Marik, whom she did not trust completely anyways as his stares made her feel uncomfortable. As Bakura drove she told him of her frightening adventure, telling him about the world of illusion, of Yugi and the others being monsters in disguise, how Yami Marik brought her to the heart of the Shadow Realm where she and a dark Yugi dueled for her freedom, and finally her escape from both the darkness and a cynical Marik. He listened with amusement, a grin coming to his pale face now and then as she told him about Marik and how he had tricked her into having him assist her. He shook his head, his silver locks falling around his head.

"That slimy bastard…" he said, a laughing tone in his voice. "Stooping so low as to help a soul of light so that they could open the door to his freedom… and I would have done the same thing." Anzu gave him a chiding glare, and Bakura chuckled darkly. "What? It is the way of survival—either bite or be bitten. The Shadow Realm is a hell-hole, I almost feel sorry for Yami Marik… almost." Again, a sinful chuckle from the albino thief, but this time Anzu smiled a bit as she stared out at the desert ahead of her. It was a much better view than the rolling fog of the Shadow Realm that she had seen for the last few hours.

"So, I told you my story—wanna tell me yours in more than one sentence?" Anzu asked coolly, looking over at him with her azure eyes curiously. Bakura glanced back, his russet brown orbs hard and heartless for a moment, before softening slightly as he gazed at the hills before him.

"Not much to tell, if you really care to know. Once you decided to hitch a ride to darkness incorporated, your Pharaoh and I didn't exactly… get along well. I could have killed him, **should** have killed him, but he's here to save the world and all that so I spared him. Lucky for you." He smirked at Anzu, and she nervously returned the gesture—why did she get the feeling that he actually _would _go through with that claim if he had the chance? "Then Kaiba woke up and, like the greedy ass he is, stomped out to the desert saying he was going to find Samira and kill her. I was watching from the jeep—it took all my will power not to insult him as he set out on his adventure… I'm surprised we haven't run into him by now, I figured he would be a carcass out here by this time."

"I hope not" Anzu said solemnly, praying that she didn't just jinx herself so that they would see Kaiba come out from nowhere and get hit by the jeep. She knew Bakura wouldn't stop if that were the case—as if she had enough on her conscious.

Bakura grinned at her response, but didn't make a witty comment in reply. "And to make matters worse, Pharaoh-baka decides to play hero and get whisked away by one of Samira's shadow servants. To think, he's supposed to save the world and the damn idiot thinks it's okay to hitchhike on beings of darkness… I'm putting my fate in his hands and I'm already sure that he's dead or something worse, that Ra-forsaken spiky-haired prick. Once this is all over, I'll give him a piece of my mind when I kick his scrawny ass…." He looked over at Anzu, who was now staring at the desert with a sad, distant look in her eyes. He was curious—the gaze that she held seemed to be responding to his rant… perhaps he had upset her. Suddenly a twinge jolted through his heart and he winced, but failed to let Anzu see it—instead she sighed heavily, brushing some of her hair out of the way.

"I guess you still hate the Pharaoh a lot, Bakura" she said, staring off at nothing in particular. Listening to the way he spit out his name and hissed the comments he made about him, she could still feel the seething dislike that he had acquired so many years ago. She wondered if perhaps she could change him, convert him, make him finally see the light beyond this tunnel of negativity. But, this was Bakura she was talking about—what could she do for a heartless fiend of shadows and destruction? A maiden of light had no reason to even be sitting beside such an entity… yet her heart still felt pity upon his soul. She could hear Bakura huff in annoyance.

"Of course—you don't think that five thousand years of loathing and detesting can instantly be washed away just like that, do you?" Anzu was silent for a while, to which Bakura grimaced in mute irritation. "I should have known—someone with as pure a heart as yours would not understand. It makes no difference, though—I may be free of Zorc's influence and have become a sort of free spirit in my own right, but I've been a bringer of darkness for too long to ever release my old feelings. Hate is a hard thing to rid yourself of, Anzu Mazaki… and so is darkness."

Anzu nodded lightly, though it wasn't to agree or anything—in fact, she was unsure how this conversation should go. Why did she bring up his hatred for Atemu? She really had no reason to, and yet it seemed… like a familiar topic to ground off of. Listening to him talk made her have a sense of déjà vu… one that she couldn't quite explain. She shrugged it off as she looked over at Bakura again.

"So, then what happened?" she inquired. Bakura sighed lightly before smirking deviously.

"What, after the baka left? Well, I had to be the one to tell Ishizu and Odion that he ran away, and the poor fools didn't take it to well—can you believe that the curator tried to skewer me?" Anzu tried to imagine the scene for a moment, before giggling softly at the thought. Bakura grinned as he continued his tale. "But I told them—and then gruesome, stupid, and crazy show up on jeeps screaming like the idiotic monkeys they truly are. We were taking care of them quite easily—I had to kill the majority, as you can assume."

Anzu glanced over with a teasing look in her eyes. "Funny, when I woke up it looked like someone was kicking your ass." Bakura's smirk instantly slipped off his face, as he glared darkly at Anzu. But Anzu was unafraid, as she knew his ego had been damaged a little, but not enough for him to smite her. He then gazed back at the desert and huffed in annoyance.

"You were half-awake—you don't know what you were seeing. You could have mistaken me for a fucking camel, for all I know."

"I know what I saw, Tomb Robber."

"Yeah, well, I don't give a shit." Anzu smirked as she thought, _Oh yes you do_! But in the back of her mind, why did she feel like friendly conversation such as did this, she had already partaken in? This all seemed so familiar….

"It feels so good to be back here in Egypt!" Anzu said, stretching her arms to the sky. "The Shadow Realm was so cold and horrible—I thought I would never get out of there alive!"

Bakura nodded. "Most souls do not—they become trapped in their own misery and fall victim to its power. You were one of the few… consider yourself lucky."

"Oh, I do" Anzu admitted. "Being away from the real world and all its warmth made me feel so empty… like I was a shell of my former self. And being near Marik didn't exactly help. I keep replaying his cackling over and over in my head… it's like I can't get rid of his memory." She shivered at the thought, even though the desert air was still quite hot. Bakura glanced over at the brunette.

"Just try to forget that bastard for now—you have more important things to worry about. Just keep in mind that whatever you don't remember can't hurt you, so just don't think about him and you should be fine." He looked back at the sandy hills for a second, before looking back at Anzu and seeing her eyes wide and a look of fear on her face. He cocked an eyebrow. "What in the Shadow Realm is wrong with you?"

Anzu couldn't turn to face him that second—something inside of her seemed to click. She had heard him say that somewhere before… and whenever that happened something frightening happened with it. _Why do I remember him saying that? _she thought, _And why does it make me feel so scared_?

"Speak to me!" Bakura growled, becoming irritated. _What is wrong with her now? I didn't say anything hurtful_. Anzu's wide-eyed gaze fell onto him, but it did not cease—she still felt this inkling in her heart, that something was amiss. Slowly she nodded her head.

"I'm… okay…" she said slowly, and Bakura shrugged. "Well, don't do that again, is that clear? You acted like you saw a murderer or something. Though you might be thinking of me." He grinned again, his canines shining. "In any case, quit acting so traumatized. What happened with Yami Marik couldn't have been that bad, am I right?"

Anzu nodded blankly. "… S-Sure…." Suddenly she was feeling ill—thoughts were stirring within her that she wished would go back where they came from. Images… of the desert under the full moon… of Bakura and her, talking and him yelling to the sky… of him leaning over in pain, as she tried to take him back to Ishizu… and then that moment… the moment when they kissed—

_No, that was all a dream!_ she tried to reassure herself, but there was something wrong with that—something she could not pinpoint. Something that made her think otherwise about it not being real… no matter how hard she tried, the memory seemed seared into her thoughts, and she could not escape them. She gritted her teeth as she bit back a groan—the evidence had been clear before, the whole thing had been a nightmare of her own concoction. After all, how on earth did she end up sleeping back at the spot where she had been idly sitting before the incident? Maybe she had fallen asleep and not even known it. Even Ryou had said she had not moved.

But the dream was becoming more vivid in her mind, the memories screaming at her to recall everything. She saw the kiss in all its horrible passion, and then she saw Bakura back away, as he done in the dream before… but then she saw something that she had not remembered seeing… the Millennium Ring was glowing, and he was evoking its powers… why did that bring forth a sense of déjà vu?

_Wait a minute… he's done that before, to me and Tristan back at Duelist Kingdom_! Sure enough her memories where square on that, because she could recall how the three of them—Tristan, Ryou, and herself—had snuck into Pegasus's tower and were caught by him once inside. Ryou became possessed by Bakura, and then the next thing she knew, she was back in her room, as if waking up from a strange dream. She had thought it to be a dream for a while, until both her and Tristan saw the tower that they had scaled and remembered being there. That's when they had realized that Bakura had made them forget what they had seen with the power of the Millennium Ring.

Two and two came together uncertainly, but the realization was clear—the same principles soon applied. Anzu's face froze in shock, as she gasped. _Is that really it then? The whole thing was real, and Bakura made me forget just as he had done in Duelist Kingdom? He really did kiss me_? Vile threatened to come into her mouth, but she swallowed it back done as she fought off the urge to choke the albino who sat placidly beside her. That made all the sense in the world—everything came together and she now knew of her deceit. But, how could she be certain? Perhaps her suspicions were getting the best of her.

She felt a stirring near her chest, and she looked down to see her cartouche shimmering lightly in the fading sunlight. She touched its golden surface gingerly, and it twinkled in response—the memories became even clearer now, the fog that Bakura had instilled in her thoughts melting away like snow in the springtime. Anzu became conscious of the fact that the cartouche was somehow affecting her memories—was that another of its powers?

Yugi's words rang aloud in her mind: "_The cartouche will assist you when you get back_…._ It should heal wounds and other scars unseen. Just call upon your heart, on us, and it should be rendered to you, Anzu._" She considered this for a moment—'wounds unseen'? Would the magic that Bakura had cast upon her mind be thought of as an unseen wound that it could possibly heal?

_Maybe_… Anzu thought tenderly, trying to piece this all together so as not to lose track of her thoughts—all of this was so mind-boggling that she wondered why she hadn't tried to kill the tomb robber by now. _But, there's only one way to find out. Hopefully I'm right about this_. But there was no doubt—her thoughts may have been scrambled and a mess to behold, but in all that confusion there was still a hold on that one objective, that one consideration. She did not doubt this, for it seemed to right, though a little far-fetched. Still, she had nothing to lose by asking.

She stared at the white-haired thief in the driver's seat, gathering her courage. As Bakura felt her gaze on him he turned, gazing at her with his cold, unforgiving eyes suspiciously.

"Well?" he asked, a bite in his voice. "What are you staring at?" Anzu gulped nervously, praying that her suspicions were correct. Well, if they weren't, Bakura would just laugh at her and make some sly remarks—nothing she couldn't handle.

But… what if she was right?

"Bakura, I have to ask you something important" she began, her voice stuttering a hint as she tried to bring herself to say it. She hated the idea—it was like resurrecting the dead, the corpses of a past she wanted to forget. She remembered how terrible she felt the first time she had to quell the images of this moment, the sensations and feelings that coursed through her so vibrantly. She had to relive it again, if she wanted to get an answer.

Bakura gave her a strange look, before shrugging. "Ask away—as long as it isn't a stupid question. I can't stand those—hence why I don't hang around Joey or Tristan." Anzu took in a deep breath, preparing for the plunge—there was no turning back now, she had to ask. She had to know!

"Tomb Robber… last night, when you and I talked in the desert… I have to know… why did you… kiss me?"

Silence. The jeep suddenly came to a grinding halt, the engine dying as Bakura killed it quickly. His eyes were wide, he did not speak—in his mind he gave colorful curses a new low as he knew what this meant. He knew what would happen now. He could feel Ryou rouse within his soul room, and it was to the thief's horror that his host seemed to have heard what Anzu had said. He must not have had the mind link as closed as he thought, because instantly he could feel Ryou gasp within him, shock running through his soul.

_Did Anzu just say… what I think she just said_? Ryou asked timidly. _Did you really… kiss her last night_? Bakura growled, feeling the panic in his host rise. Everything that he worked so hard to conceal was becoming unraveled, and he could not stop it!

_Pay no mind, yadonushi—this concerns you not_! he hissed, before slamming the door between their body and Ryou's soul room closed. He could not deal with both of them right now—it was Anzu who he had to handle first. And explaining was not something Bakura felt like doing right about now.

Anzu watched the Tomb Robber with terrified curiosity and determined interest. Would she receive an answer from him or not? His eyes had glazed over a bit as he sat there, still and quiet—Anzu could only assume that he was talking to Ryou in his mind. She waited patiently as he returned to consciousness, his eyes becoming sharp and icy again like frozen dirt, as he slowly brought his gaze to meet her stunning azure eyes. Then he chuckled, looking down at the interior of the jeep as he felt her gaze on him, beckoning him forward. He tapped on the steering wheel with his index finger lightly, both of his hands still gripping it considerably.

"So… the Ring failed to keep that memory from you" he said, his eyes distant as they stared at nothing in particular. Anzu felt a gasp come into her throat, becoming lodged there. _So it was true! He **did** kiss me!_ "I should have known my magic would not keep the truth so well hidden. I assume it's about time that I come clean."

"T-Tell me, Bakura" she demanded, her voice rising in confidence as she felt her doubts fall away. Now she needed the truth—why had he deceived her, what has he been hiding all along? "Tell me everything! Why did you kiss me like that? Why did you make me forget? I need to know everything!"

Bakura sighed, a smirk gracing his lips lightly. "I'm sure you really do wish to know. I would as well… there are so many things I have kept to myself, for obvious reasons. Things that I need not share with the likes of you and your little gang of Pharaoh-lovers. But it seems I have no choice now—you have seen through my dishonesty, and that makes you worthy of this truth. You might as well know why I'm really here.

"It is all very complicated—there are things that you may not understand, or things that you're not supposed to understand. But I'm not concerned with that—you can deal with that yourself."

"That's fine, Bakura… just please, tell me" Anzu pleaded. She couldn't stand the suspense, she needed to know, to hear what he had to say. Maybe it would help her in this fight… or maybe it will bring to light the darkness that is the thief she sits beside. Bakura closed his eyes, and sighed.

"Anzu, I kissed you that night, but I have no feelings for you at all" he admitted, slowly. "Actually, I have no feelings at all—my heart is not what it once was. But that night, my heart could feel again for but a moment, and it was enough of a moment for my feelings to escape my grasp.

"I already said that I have no feelings for you. That is true. But when I kissed you last night, I felt love, and it was not for you.

"I kissed you not because I love _you_, Anzu Mazaki.

"It is because I love Samira."

---

Yugi ran forward, heading straight for Atemu in an attempt to catch him in a swift motion. Bringing his fists up, he took a swipe at Atemu's face, but the Pharaoh was always faster—dodging it gracefully he did something he never thought he would ever do to his aibou: he socked him in the stomach. He could feel his fist pound into Yugi's soft fleshy abdomen, making Yugi gasp as the wind was promptly knocked out of him. A bit of blood escaped the boy's lips, as Atemu withdrew his fist as to let Yugi's body fall into a crumpled heap on the floor. Yugi sucked in air feverishly, and Atemu's eyes widened with concern.

"Aibou!" he whispered, trying to console the boy as he panted like a fish for air. Atemu was worried—how hard had he hit the youth? But he failed to realize that, once again, this was all a charade concocted by his partner—Yugi looked up, his hard amethyst eyes laughing with power, as he vanished again as he had done before into thin air. Atemu shot up, aware that Yugi had tricked him again.

"Yugi, please! You have to see the truth!" he bellowed, and Yugi did not respond as he appeared behind the Pharaoh again, just as he had done only moments before. He grinned as he prepared to slam his fist into the king's head.

"_Fool you twice, shame on you_" Yugi hissed, before he smashed his hand into the Pharaoh to knock him out. However, as soon as his fist was about to make contact, Atemu disappeared just as Yugi had a second before. Yugi stopped his attack mid-way, his purple eyes wide with shock.

_He vanished! _Yugi gaped, before sensing the presence of another appear at his back. Swiftly he turned, just in time to block Atemu as he went to kick Yugi in his right side—the youth grabbed his leg and held it there, leaving Atemu trapped. But Atemu was quick, as he spun in midair with Yugi still holding his leg, forcing the boy to let go as he landed crouched on the ground like a cat, a fierce-some look in his eyes.

Inside of himself, Atemu could feel his darkness clawing to be released—it wanted to defeat Yugi, tear him apart so that he could show Samira justice. He was resisting to the best of his abilities, trying to remain connected to the little bit of light that he still had within his heart. It was a losing battle, though, as his desire to defeat Yugi became prominent. He grinned maliciously.

"Let's finish this!" Atemu said, as he suddenly leapt at Yugi with all his intent on grabbing the boy's neck. Yugi smirked before he started to run, quickly avoiding Atemu as the Pharaoh turned on his heels to chase the boy who looked so much like him. His instincts taking over, Atemu could see Yugi running away, and the darkness within him cackled. _Leaving so soon? But I just got started_! He sped after him, the light within him trying to regain a better foot-hold before he could do anything to hurt his aibou.

Yugi ran towards one of the large pillars, straight for it as if he were going to vanish through it. Atemu was still right on his tail, waiting for the boy to slam right into the sandstone column. He wanted to yell to Yugi to stop, but his darkness kept his fears at bay, instead waiting for Yugi to make his mistake so that he could take him down.

But Yugi showed no fear as he ran at the pillar, and then ran _up_ it! With him running it gave him enough force that he charged up the pillar, and flipped over Atemu! The Pharaoh was shocked—since when could his aibou perform such a feat? Samira's control made him nearly acrobatic in his movements, so much so that they were an even match in fighting skills.

Atemu was so surprised by Yugi's stunt that he didn't realize that the boy landed quietly behind him, and quickly took the initiative—he grabbed Atemu from behind, holding the Pharaoh tightly as he bound his arms behind him. Atemu gasped, as he tried to break free of Yugi's arms.

"Yugi, please, stop this!" he shouted, trying to convince the tri-colored haired boy away from his intentions, whatever those were. But it was to no avail, his struggles useless as Yugi managed to get a tight hold on him, and he chuckled darkly at Atemu's resistance.

"Stop what, stranger? Your death?" Yugi laughed, a cruelness in it that made Atemu shudder." I think not. I believe it is time that _I_ end this fight." Though Atemu couldn't see what Yugi was doing he could hear the boy use his free hand to reach to his belt and pull another dagger from its sheath—the cool metal slid effortlessly from the leather casing, as he brought the blade up to the Pharaoh's neck daringly. Atemu continued to struggle against his aibou.

"Yugi! Please remember me, aibou!" he said, but the boy seemed to have drowned him out. Atemu could feel Yugi's breath on his skin, as Yugi brought his head forward to sit in the crook of Atemu's neck. Atemu could see Yugi's pale, tinted skin, and his teeth, sharp and white as they glistened in the light of the torches. They looked extremely sharp, and lethal as Yugi ran his tongue over them temptingly.

_He doesn't even seem human! _Atemu thought to himself, praying that he could get through to Yugi in time. He could feel the edge of the blade press against his tanned skin, just lightly but enough to stimulate fear in Atemu's eyes. Yugi sighed, enjoying the sound of Atemu's heartbeat as it quickened in his ears.

"Time to go back to whence you came, stranger" he whispered in his former-yami's ear—he prepared to slice into the Pharaoh's neck, his arm tense as he readied himself for the blood. Atemu closed his eyes, knowing that he was too late, knowing that he would die again… and he had failed them all, had failed everyone he loved. He failed to rescue Yugi.

_Please forgive me, Anzu_, he begged in his mind, but just as he thought he should have felt his blood running over him in waves, he realized he felt nothing. He didn't even feel the blade grace his neck anymore, or Yugi holding him still. He abruptly turned to see Yugi as the boy dropped his dagger, letting it clank as it hit the sand-brick floor. Atemu's eyes widened.

"Yugi…?" he asked, watching the boy sternly. His aibou's eyes had dilated, and his body trembled all over, as if he were freezing from an unknown cold. His head awkwardly turned to look at his Queen, and his teeth chattered as he spoke.

"M-my Queen, pl-please… let –m-me k-kill him…." Atemu glanced over at Samira, to see the demonic princess with her hand up, her body glowing with a blood-red aura as she stared at Yugi sternly. Her eyes held no feelings within them as the boy shivered with the power she used to subdue him.

"Enough" Samira commanded coldly. "I did not tell you to _kill_ him, I wanted you to _feed_ off of him. What part of that did you not understand?" Her hand twisted a little, and Yugi's body arched in pain—Atemu watched in horror as Yugi bit back a scream of agony as his Mistress used her power to make him hiss.

"B-But… I-I m-must… protect-t y-you, m-my Queen" Yugi tried to say, as he scrunched his eyes against tears. "I w-wanted to… k-kill him… for you…."

"Which is precisely what I did not want" Samira replied, her eyes hard. "You failed me—you let your instincts take over against your good judgment. To think I thought you a good servant." Yugi tried to plead, but she constricted his vocal chords, only letting him choke to respond. "You didn't feed in time, I'm afraid, and you'll have to deal with those consequences. It really is a sacrifice that I am forced to take for your carelessness, dear puppet… goodbye." Her hand fell down back onto the armrest, and the aura around her faded away—with it, Yugi was brought down to his knees, panting as he let his body become his again. Atemu wanted to run to Yugi but found that he couldn't—his legs refused to move as he watched Yugi be released from his agonizing torture.

Suddenly Yugi leapt forward, trying to crawl up the stairs to the top of the dais. "Please, my Mistress, I beg of you!" Then his body froze, and his eyes dilated again, but this time it was not by Samira's hand. Yugi's body then began to shake violently, convoluting as if he were having a seizure, and he tumbled down to the bottom of the stairs as he continued to shake brutally.

Atemu could stand there no longer—without thought he ran over to Yugi, kneeling down beside him so that he cradled him in his arms as he shook, his eyes still open wide as he mouth was left partially open. Atemu looked down at his aibou, fearing the worse.

"Yugi?" he asked the boy, and when he did not respond Atemu felt tears come to his eyes. "Yugi!" Still no answer, as his body continued to shake in his arms with still no signs of consciousness. ""YUGI! Please, stay with me!"

He could hear Samira chuckle above him on the raised dais, and his eyes turned harsh and dripped with venom as he looked up at the smirking princess. "_What have you done to him, you witch?"_

"My, my, someone has a temper" Samira chided, only to make Atemu growl bitterly. "Well, if you _have_ to know, what's happening to your precious aibou is his own fault. He didn't feed on you in time, and thus my magic is taking its toll on his mortal body."

"_What magic? What do you mean 'feed'_?" Atemu asked, his voice only a growl as he continued to gaze at Samira with the coldest of eyes. His aibou was dying in his arms, and it was all HER fault! SHE was the one who did this to him! And she would pay dearly, oh would she _pay_….

Samira sighed wistfully. "Well you see, my dear Atemu, Yugi was a perfectly good mind slave—obedient for the most part, a silent doll that listened when I spoke and did as I bid of him. But when you pried into his mind earlier, he regained some of his mental conscious, and I knew that he would be a difficult one to contain if you and he were to come into contact. So I made a few, changes" she said, and to this Atemu hissed audibly.

"What _kind_ of changes?" he snarled, still holding Yugi protectively as the shaking started to calm down, but still the look of death remained in his eyes. Atemu then noticed that Yugi's skin color was beginning to change, from the pale, sickly tint to its normal peachy complexion. His eyes were still blank and cold though, just like his vessel as he slowly began to slip away….

"I'd call it a 'transformation' of sorts, to be more exact. What I did do was erase the boy's memories completely, wiping away his mind so that I could start from scratch. No more Anzu, no more family, no more you for him to remember… I made it so that he was induced with complete amnesia of his life before me, so that he would be far more loyal than my normal powers could ever accomplish." She smirked, obviously proud of herself and her twisted ways. "In any case, I don't need mind control over him—that's why your powers did not affect him, because my conscious is not there. He was working for me under his free will—he just didn't remember what free will was!" Samira cackled evilly, enjoying the look of anguish and hatred that marked Atemu's expression. His darkness seethed within him, wanting him to obey—to kill this woman to get revenge upon Yugi! But he held himself back—he wanted to know what she had done to him.

"But of course, just erasing someone's memory doesn't give them the power to do _that_" Samira said, as she gestured to the spot where Yugi had punched the ground, sending shockwaves through the ground and causing the sand-brick to crack as it did. "That was another bonus I gave to little Yugi, along with many of my other followers. I gave them my blood, let them drink from my power, and with it they gained the powers of an immortal creature of the night—they became swift, strong, intelligent, and most importantly, another of my kind. But there is a catch to such power—they have to feed within hours of receiving my life force, and if they do not their mortal bodies will wither away and die as my blood kills them slowly. Yugi here is such a case, as he did not feed on you in time—now he is slowly going to die, his body crumbling as his mind falls to the darkness of eternal sleep. To think, he was so obedient… just a little overzealous." She chuckled to herself, her eyes dancing with the light of the torches around them, whispering of her evil heart. Of her corrupted mind.

Atemu listened to the whole explanation, and his heart lurched at her last few words. Yugi would… die? She had changed him into a mindless doll that knew nothing other than the witch who placed him there, and she gave him powers that turned him into a lethal killing animal… then he remembered what she had called him. His heart lurched even more.

"'An immortal creature of the night'? A _vampire_?" he asked distantly, and Samira nodded eagerly.

"And so he figures it out!" she chimed, only to be met with icy amethyst. "Technically, yes, but now the vampire blood will slowly kill him. Again, his own fault, it's a shame I have to let his arrogance get the best of him."

Atemu could feel his rage and horror mount within him—he saw what she had done to his aibou. She ridded him of his innocent eyes, instead making them hard and cold, feeling nothing but the darkness that caressed his soul. Atemu could feel his aibou's spirit dying in his arms, and he bitterly held back his tears.

"Yugi…" he had his head downcast, his eyes scrunched as he could not bear to look down at his aibou in so much pain. He could hear the boy's ragged breaths, his attempts to stay alive, and as they faded fast he cradled the boy close to him. The warmth in heart, going out like a candle flame in a cold harsh breeze. "Yugi… no…."

Was this really the end for his former host, his partner, his light? He had wanted to see him so badly, to see the boy whose smile lit his world up grin childishly at him again. Now the boy was dying, now he was leaving him and he never got to say goodbye. A tear fell from his eyes, falling on Yugi's cream-colored skin as it slipped lazily off the boy. It was followed by another, and another.

"Yugi, don't leave me…" he whispered, but the boy didn't answer, his eyes dead and lifeless. They had fought through so much… he had been so young… things could not end this way, they **would** not end this way! His voice became louder and more desperate. "**YUGI, PLEASE DON'T DIE**!"

But he did not answer. Maybe he would never answer again.

"Yu… gi…." He cried now, holding the boy close to him. The boys' body was limp and unmoving, just lying in his arms. Atemu trembled, sobbing into Yugi's body as he fought back the urge to scream. To yell into the sky for none of this to be real.

But it was real… it was oh so real.

Samira watched the tragedy unfold, and she was silent for a time, before sighing loudly to draw the Pharaoh's attention away from his dying aibou.

"You know, he's not going to die for another few hours. My blood produces a slow, painful march to the grave… he's still here, just give him some more time and he'll kick the bucket soon enough." Upon hearing this, Atemu's face arose from Yugi, and he gently placed the boy on the floor before him. He rose up, standing to his full height, before bringing up his eyes to glare at Samira. To look upon her before he killed her… without mercy. His amethyst eyes had become blood–red orbs, glaring at her with enough hatred to set her ablaze if looks could kill. But he wanted her to die slowly, not quick like that.

And he wanted to be the one to do it.

"**SAMIRA!"** he bellowed, his baritone voice echoing through the room, making it quiver uneasily. Samira wasn't fazed by this at all though, as she watched him shout at her with venom seeping from his words. "**YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!"**

Samira was silent, and to this Atemu growled at her insolence. He would show her no mercy, he would make her feel every wound her gave her, every mark he placed upon her—he would rip her to shreds and sear her flesh with the torches around her. His darkness was inflamed within him, screaming out of every pore in his raging body—this was for Yugi, for Anzu, for everyone she had manipulated and hurt! **He would** **DESTROY HER**!

His body was surrounded by a dark aura that hissed of his anger. Shadow Magic gathered within him dangerously, and he clenched his fists as he started to stalk towards her, power in every step as his eyes burned with an unholy light. He marched up the stairs to the top of the raised dais, and soon he was standing over Samira as she sat placidly on her throne, staring up at him with amused eyes. This only fueled his anger—how **dare** she mock him, after all she has done to cause this hurt in his heart!

"**This is where you DIE**…" Atemu hissed, and he brought up his hands. He lunched forward to grab her by the neck, to wipe the smirk off her face forever… but just as he did she snapped her fingers, and someone grabbed Atemu from behind!

He jerked in surprise, growling as he tried to get whoever had interrupted him—he didn't care who it was, only that he was about to kill Samira and they were stopping him. His darkness howled—he would not be silenced now!

Whoever it was had one arm wrapped around his chest, and the other hand suddenly came up to his face, where a white cloth pressed up against Atemu's nose and mouth. Atemu struggled, trying to get free from whoever was binding him, snarling and trying to turn around to face them. Then he started to feel weak.

_What's… what's happening…?_ He couldn't understand what was happening to him—suddenly his legs felt weak beneath him, and he was beginning to feel… dizzy. His vision started to blur, making the room fuzzy and his thoughts obscure. He started to feel tired, sleepy, and though he continued to fight whoever was holding the cloth to his mouth he found his arms and legs becoming limp with every second that past—they gave out beneath him, and he collapsed into the arms of whoever was holding him.

He tried to see through his heavy-lidded eyes at Samira, who was fading away in his blurry vision. His mind was becoming foggy, and his resistance was fading fast, just like him. He tried to keep a grip on consciousness but it was slipping away, and he could barley keep his eyes open, no matter now much he fought it….

He could see Samira smirking at his weakened form, before she cackled darkly at him fading from reality. He could hear her speak, the last few words before he fell into a deep sleep of endless darkness:

"That was fun, wasn't it, Atemu? It certainly is good to see you again… welcome back… _little brother_."

---

Author's Note: _Um… yeah, feel free to review me anytime. All of you who have me on your favorites and alerts, yeah, you know who you are, if you would so kindly leave me a review… I expect at least half of you to belly up and do so, otherwise I might withhold the next chapter…._

_R x R my peeps… for the next installment. _


	59. Behind These Iron Bars

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: … _Well, that was an experience. I have people threatening me with swords, fainting, screaming "WHAT THE HELL!", speechless, and crying._

_Exactly what I was looking for! The feedback was AMAZING! And for my longest chapter, which was 8000 words! I couldn't have asked for better! Obviously last chapter held some startling surprises and cliff hanger action that needs explaining, I suppose. It would be terrible if I went on hiatus right about now or something terrible occurred_… (I pray it otherwise, don't worry!).

_Who do I give my wondrous thanks to? These reviewers:_

**SeleneXAngel, ray1, ANZU&ATEMU FAN, Starwberry Froghurt, Ancient Dreams, the CAPTAIN Hikari Paladin, Nenny,Elfbrat18, ArchangelAki, inuyashagirl22, spiritfire, Isis the Sphinx, **_and_** becca. **

_Well, the answers will come… maybe next chapter. Remember Kaiba? Well, let's hear from him again, shall we? _

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 59: Behind These Iron Bars….**

He was in a desert, just like the one he had seen for so long over the past day or so. Sand flooded his vision in all its horrible glory, in the worst possible circumstance:

A sandstorm.

It whipped around him in clouds, so thick and stinging that his eyes burned with their mere presence. He couldn't even see the sky, for the waves of sand that surrounded him in blankets were like that of a blizzard of gold, blocking out even the rays of the sun so that he was trapped in a twister of bronze. It soared past his ears at incredible speeds, a whistling roar hissing over even the sound of his voice, calling out to the wind in desperation. He would find him, he would find him… he would make sure he was safe.

He could feel his mouth moving, screaming at the top of his lungs the name of the person he searched for, but his ears were deaf to all but the vociferous howl of the wind and sand. He covered his face with his arms, his eyes squinting so that he could try to peer through the veils of golden dust. He was moving into the path of the storm, against the wind so that it pushed him back with tremendous force… but he would not be stopped, he would not be silenced! He would find him, he would find him…he would make sure he was safe.

He needed to see the boy, to hold him and make sure he was alright. They had been through too much for him to lose the only one who ever cared for him.

The only one who ever really needed him.

He struggled, his feet trudging through the sand, pressing against the invisible force that was the gale. His body was being sent back, but he moved on, taking two steps forward as the wind pushed him one step back. He fought against its might, against the odds… his eyes were barely open, but in his blind venture he knew where he was going. He was going to find him, he would find him… he would make sure he was safe.

Through the slits he now called his eyes his cobalt orbs spotted a form in the sandy mist, a dark silhouette that looked vaguely familiar. His heart leapt, his eyes now staring out in disbelief. Was that him, was that who he was searching for? He was going to find him, he was going to find out… he would make sure that he was safe.

He pushed, he struggled… he battled against the natural powers that gave him resistance. He would not be stopped, he would not be halted… not now and not ever! After all he had done, after all he had caused… he would not let things happen the way they had, never again! He would keep him safe, he would keep him safe—

This time, he would do this right. He would not let the one he held dear fall victim to fate once again….

He was so close now, the shadow now only a few steps away… he reached out with his hand, trying to touch the boy' shoulder, to let him know he was here… he shouted and shouted, but he couldn't even hear himself. Another step, and the boy was in arm's length... another step, and he was right behind him. He was there, he had found him… but was he safe?

Was he really safe? Had he found him, could he save him?

He placed his hand upon the boy's head, feeling raven-black hair beneath his grasp. He cried out, wanting the boy to turn around, to face him and see, to face him and see….

That his big brother had come to find him.

"_Mokuba!_" he shouted, this time his voice more audible, "_Mokuba_!" He felt the boy move under his hand, turning around so that he could see him. He wanted to see his brother, he wanted to find him, to make sure he was safe… had he done it? Had he found him, and made sure he was no longer in danger?

Had he done what he didn't do, the many times before?

The boy turned around, and the sandy veils that blocked him from few lifted a little, only to let Kaiba see that who faced him now was not in his younger sibling—Samira appeared before him where the raven-haired boy once stood! She grinned widely and cackled he backed away in horror and shock. He wanted his brother, he wanted Mokuba… he wanted to make sure he was okay, that he was safe…

And he was safe, he realized, as the sandstorm surrounded him, choking him, brushing up so close around him that it had wrapped its gales around him, a whipping tornado of darkness and desert that sucked away his only breath. He could hear Samira still cackling, though it sounded so far away… his vision going, he could see one last image through the cloak of sand, one last thing before he faded away into the wind….

Samira was holding his brother close, and she was leading the boy away, into the distance…

Yes, his brother was safe.

Just in the arms of a terrible demon.

---

_Mokuba_….

Awakening from his heart-wrenching nightmare, Kaiba could barely feel the floor beneath him as he dealt with the darkness behind his eyelids. Everything was spinning… the ground, himself… nothing was stable as he felt nauseous from the unsteady world he was trapped in. He groaned a little, trying to find footing in the swirling mess. His head ached, a burning sensation on one part of his skull that felt sore and fresh. As he moved, even slightly, he hissed as he felt his body scream at him for even trying to make do with the situation. He bit back another groan as he shifted where he sat on the ground.

His dream had been a painful experience, as he had searched and searched for his little brother only to find Samira had gotten to him first, and took Mokuba away. He felt so hopeless, so useless… that he couldn't even help his brother at a time like this.

"_Help me, Big Brother_!" He knew he could hear Mokuba cry out in his head every moment that he wasn't out looking for the one who held him captive, a reminder as to where his soul should be, what his purpose was and what he was meant to do. Protect… protect Mokuba… something that he couldn't even do right….

_I swear, Mokie, I'll find you_, he said in his head, as the ground continued to spiral under him. _I'll find Samira, and kill her—I'll kill her, and then I'll set you free. I promise, Mokie… just wait for me_….

The ground started to slow down, the dizzy sensation he had acquired upon awakening drifting away as consciousness and pain set in instead. He could hear movement around him, and to this he instantly became alert—where was he, anyways? The last thing that Kaiba remembered was fighting off some of Samira's henchmen, and just as he was about to castrate their somewhat-leader, everything went black… cursing now, Kaiba realized that he must have been attacked from behind when he fought them in the desert.

_Those deadbeats got me when I wasn't looking! How could I have let my guard down like that? _Slowly Kaiba came to his senses a little, feeling the contours of the surface beneath him. It was rough, like hard stone… it was scratchy like sand-paper though, making Kaiba thing of sand-brick materials used in ancient tombs. Wherever he was, though, it wasn't exactly comfortable.

He tried to open his eyes, but even that made him blink back pain… instantly the spot on his head where he correctly assumed that he had been hit screeched with a terrible white hot throbbing that made his vision sparkle with stars. He cursed himself again, this time for his disadvantage—how could be so weak at a time like this? He was Seto Kaiba, and he had to save his younger brother! There was no time for him to be passing out or getting injured like this!

He tried again though, for he was a persistent type of person, opening his eyes as they fluttered to half-lidded status. He was staring down at his own form and at the floor, his vision very blurry as he blinked several times, trying to clear it so that he could see. His vision swam in and out of proper view, making his head spin even worse than it already was. How hard had he been hit in the head?

"Hmm, looks like he's finally coming to" a voice mused from somewhere nearby. A female voice—Kaiba knew he recognized it but still his mind was trapped in a dark haze. He could see a little, and from what he could see it was dark, wherever he was—there was a torch but it was far away, somewhere beyond the metal bars that he sat beside, nearly laying against. He turned his head, his vision distorted as the movement made his skull burn—slowly he could see a form above him… one with long blonde hair and concerned amethyst eyes peering down at him.

"You okay, hon?" she asked. Kaiba blinked a few times, and his vision started to clear again. The woman came into focus, and he could actually see her in all detail, from her curly blonde locks that cascaded around her peach-colored face, to her purple eyes that were bright with thick amounts of eyeliner and mascara. He looked at her with heavy-lidded azure orbs, a questioning look in his still tired gaze.

"You're… Mai Valentine…" he said groggily, surprised at how hoarse his voice sounded as he croaked out her name. Mai nodded slightly, before bringing over a pitcher of water made from some old clay and brought it to his lips carefully. She tilted it slightly, allowing cool liquid to meet Kaiba's lips. Kaiba's natural personality kicked in, and he wanted to tell her to stop pestering him and let him drink himself, but his dry, thirsty throat overrode his conscious as he gulped down the liquid gently. He couldn't tell if it was really water or not, considering that it tasted a little funny, but with his parched throat the way it was it tasted delicious all the same. After a moment or two Mai brought the pitcher back, letting Kaiba lick his lips of any excess that remained.

"That's me" she said solemnly. "And I'm surprised that you would even remember… you always acted like you barely knew I was around during the semi-finals of Battle City. Nice to hear some recognition, for once." She smiled a little, though it also held a wave of sadness as she set the clay pitcher back down beside her on the rough sand-brick floor. With that liquid hydrating his system, Kaiba now started to actually wake up from unconsciousness, and with his sharp cobalt eyes he gazed over at Mai, seeing her in a short purple mini skirt, with her white corset and purple jacket, along with her traditional high-heeled purple boots that came up to her knees. Ignoring her, though, he started to scan the room that they were currently in as well.

It was a cell, of that he was sure of—a set of metal bars were to his right, the fourth wall in a room made of sand-brick that was dank and gloomy. There were cracks in the walls and floor, and the bars were made of some sort of metal that looked rusted and ancient as they set the barrier between this cell and the hallway outside of it. He could see through the bars at the hall that was beside it, which showed another set of cells on the opposite side. They were in a dungeon of some sort, and they were close to the stairs that leaded up and out of this miserable place—in fact they were in the cell right before the exit, where a faint light made by the torches that lined the walls gave an ethereal light that reminded Kaiba of Hell with heaven right above, just beyond his reach.

_Those goons must have taken me to some prison and dropped me off here_, he thought to himself, the bite and intensity in his sharp voice returning as he became more awake to what was going on around him. He shifted around where he sat, groaning as his muscles ached while he tried to get into a better position to sit in. His back was against one of the walls, slumped over as his legs were laying on the floor—slowly he adjusted, trying his best to use the walls as something to lean on as he tried to stand, but the moment he tried the sharp pain in his head erupted to the point that he hollered a bit, grabbing his head as he fell back down to his knees.

"Damnit!" he hissed, biting back another yell as his head throbbed, enraged. He must have been hit pretty badly, as he brought his hand up to meet the spot where he was injured and could feel dried blood cake a wound beneath his mat of brown hair. It stung under his touch, so that his hand moved away from it—through his squinted eyes that held back his tears of pain he saw Mai watching him, concern and pity in her eyes as she gazed upon him on the floor. He growled as he narrowed his gaze.

"What… are you… staring at?" he spat, and to this Mai just rolled her eyes and slumped against the wall, choosing now to stare at nothing in particular.

"Nothing great, if that's what you mean" she replied, and though Kaiba growled a bit he decided not to try and take offense, instead bringing himself back to laying against the wall as Mai was. He panted a bit, catching his breath as the pain subsided. "Take it easy, Kaiba. We're not getting out of here anytime soon."

He glanced over at her, blue eyes narrowed. "Care to tell me where 'here' is?"

Mai let out a long, heavy sigh. "Your guess is as good as mine, hon. I came to about the same way you did, minus the giant bump on the head—here in this prison, not too long ago. So did a lot of people, so we're not exactly alone in this." Sure enough, as Kaiba looked around he could see, in the shadows of their cell, several faces peering at him occasionally, eyes showing signs of their capture as they gazed at him with an absence of hope. He shuddered as he realized he was in the same room as these other people, whose eyes were beginning to make him feel uncomfortable. "How'd you get send here, anyways? Did Domino get attacked too?"

Kaiba, who had been zoning out a bit as he caught the eyes of a few of the other prisoners, turned his head abruptly at the mention of Domino. He ignored the pain that his movements produced in his head as he looked to her. "What do you mean by 'attacked'?"

"You don't know?" Mai asked, a little surprised. She brushed some of her blonde hair, which Kaiba now noted was a bit messy and laced with dirt, away from her face. "It was all over the news—countries being attacked and taken over by unknown forces. I heard Japan was the first hit, then China and Russia as it moved westward. I was in Tokyo when it was attacked, and that wasn't very long ago. Though, I don't know how long I've been in this cell." She smiled distantly, a look in her glazed eyes of far off memories and thoughts. "But you don't know if Domino was attacked? How did you get here then?"

"Let's just say I've been on a wild goose-chase that brought me here to Egypt." Mai glanced over at him.

"We're in Egypt?" she asked. Kaiba nodded, a scowl brought back to his face from the dumb look of semi-consciousness he wore prominently before.

"Yeah—why, you didn't know that?" he snapped, now feeling a little annoyed that he seemed to be the only one to know things around here. Mai glared at him, her accented eyes now slits at his comment.

"No, because as you can see I'm not an arrogant CEO who thinks he knows everything", Mai replied, making them both glare daggers at each other as neither prepared to stand down. Finally Mai sighed, and said, "Sorry, hon, but you deserved it, and being trapped in a prison cell doesn't do well for my emotions. But still, I had no idea where we were—no one does. We were all knocked unconscious and the next thing we knew, we were here. And none of those dead-brain guards will tell us anything."

"Guards?" Kaiba asked, looking over at the hallways—he saw no one, making the whole place seem deserted. Mai nodded.

"Yeah, they come around here every so often to check on us, maybe give us some food and water, but otherwise they're about as helpful as you, and they don't even talk to us. It's like they're zombies or something…." That struck home for Kaiba—zombie-like workers were too obvious a connection to the demon princess, so he was definitely in Samira's palace, or maybe in a holding prison nearby. It didn't matter though—he was somewhere close to Samira now, and now he had his chance... if he could escape, then perhaps he could have the opportunity he was looking for, and he could take down Samira… though in his position, he doubted he could even move, much less take out a guard and break out.

But Mokuba was at stake… he couldn't think about his own injuries when he knew what that woman could be doing with her younger brother. She had already violated the privacy of the boy's mind, so there was no telling what else she could do… his determination was flared, he had to get up and find a way out of this prison!

But his body argued against his furious mind, commanding him otherwise—he was wounded, weak, a target if he managed to escape. He didn't know the extent of his condition but he was sure it wasn't just a little bruise and cut—still, there had to be something he could do….

Mai saw him thinking, his eyes distant as he only looked out a few feet in front of him. Something was on his mind, and for some reason her curiosity was getting the better of her. She edged a little closer to the CEO, trying to make herself at least seem friendly to the poor brunette. She caught his gaze as he felt Mai motion closer to him, and he scowled deeply.

"What do you want?" he barked, making Mai glare back at him. As his head turned to look at her, she caught sight of the nasty mark on his head—it was a giant bleeding bump, swelling and covered with dried blood that was nearly black in the shadows of the room. It still appeared tender and fresh, as if made only a few hours back, and she noted how the sticky mass of blood caked into his hair, making for a grotesque wound. She cringed at the thought of it.

_Oh dear God_, she thought to herself, and without thought or real consideration she took the edge of the violet skirt she was wearing, and tore off a bit of the fabric—with a bit of force it came off easily, giving her a considerable amount of cloth. She then dipped the purple fabric in the clay pitcher of water, letting it soak for a moment before she cautiously took it to his head, dabbing it on the wound.

Kaiba had been staring off at nothing in particular for a long while, so he didn't even notice when Mai ripped her skirt and soaked the cloth in the water. He did notice, however, when the wet cloth touched his wound, and it instantly burned with a fiery sting that made him hold back a yowl. With the pain coursing through his head he hastily smacked Mai's hand away from him, a vicious growl in his voice as he looked fiercely at the blonde.

"_Don't touch me, ever_…" he hissed, his narrow cobalt eyes blazing with a threatening light. Mai was stunned that he smacked her hand away like that, and then to see him act so unkindly to her, when she was only trying to clean his wound… she felt herself become very angry as she took a deep breath.

"Hon, I'm only trying to help—"

"I said, _don't touch me_" he snarled. "I don't need help from someone like _you_."

That was it—she had been stuck in a cell for God knows how long, without any decent food or a shower, and when she tries to show a little kindness, this is what she receives in return? She would not stand for it, none of it, especially not from some rich CEO who acted like a dead carcass had been rammed up his ass one too many times. Her face got red with anger as she did something that she never thought she would get to do to Seto Kaiba:

She slapped him, and hard.

Her hand stung a bit from the force she used to hit Kaiba's face, but that was nothing like the burn of rage she felt towards him at that moment. She knew that being in a dungeon could make someone snap, but she never thought she would so soon… Kaiba had pushed the limit, however. The sound of the hit echoed through the prison, causing many pairs of eyes to look up from their own self-pity to look and see what had just occurred.

Kaiba was silenced, and a bit stunned. _Did she… did she just slap me? Did she just slap me, Seto Kaiba_? He could feel his right cheek burn hot-red, taking away from the pain on top of his head a bit, but not by much. His face also burned with a bit of embarrassment—she just _slapped_ him in front of the other people in the cell. He wanted to do something, he wanted to go and show her why he was not someone you can just go around and hit like a regular bum on the street, and yet… all he did was bring his hand to his cheek, feeling how tender the skin was from her hand. He could hear her pant as she growled in anger.

"Don't _ever_ talk to me like that. You hear me?" she snapped. "I don't know what you mean by 'someone like you', but help is help and YOU obviously need it! All I'm trying to do is show you some common courtesy and you just have to think you're better than everyone else! Well let me tell you something, sweetie, we are ALL trapped here, and we are all prisoners! I could just leave you to have that wound get infected or something so that I can watch you die of here in this cell, but I'm too nice a person to do that! So just shut up and let me wash that damn wound out!" Finally Mai's rant ended, with her huffing at her own anger as she forcefully took the wet cloth, still dripping with water, and took it to Kaiba's wound. He groaned in pain as she then became gentle again, dabbing the wound with care as she wiped away the dried blood to the best of her abilities.

Kaiba hated this—he was so weak that he couldn't even fend off a crazy bitch with serious mood swings, and this was proof. Yet, there was so much sense in her words that his conscious took them to heart. Yes, he did act arrogant and selfish at times, but he had to—that was the way of the world, where you were either the hunter or the hunted. There was no time for nice, petty things like kindness and selfless actions—those only showed how weak you were, that you could feel thus making you an easy target.

But Mai Valentine was helping him—something that he couldn't even do for himself right now. She was ignoring his "trying to avoid being helped, trying to avoid showing his weakness" attitude in an attempt to save him, and somehow that actually made his mouth close when he really would have opened it to tell her off and show her where he sat in the world—above her. He listened to her yell at him, as he sat still enough for her to clean the injury to his head—he didn't even bother fighting. He didn't feel up to it right now.

He had to conserve his strength to get out of here—to find Mokuba. That was all that mattered now. And if dealing with a make-shift nurse with a strong slap was it, then so be it. He was Seto Kaiba, he could handle anything.

When Mai figured that she had cleaned the blood off to the best of her abilities and sighed, throwing away the damp cloth and slouching back down against the wall. Kaiba did the same, and they were quiet for a while, listening to the sounds of the dungeon and the other prisoners breathing shallowly, a horrible noise that they both tried to ignore. Finally, Mai broke the quiet between them, as she looked over at Kaiba curiously.

"So, wanna fill me in on what you were doing in Egypt and why the hell we're all in this cell?" she asked cautiously, waiting for his response. He didn't answer for a little while, and he didn't really plan on answering at all if he could stand it. But, then he felt his head, and how his wound didn't hurt as much as it once did….

"If it'll keep you from slapping me again" he replied sourly, before beginning his tale about princesses and crazy mind slaves hunting after tomb robbers and schoolgirls, grimacing through the whole event as Mai listened intently.

And he loathed it the whole way through.

---

Author's Note: _That felt like an intermission from all the action in the last chapter, eh? Sorry I didn't get to answer any of the questions from last chapter, but I needed to post this—it'll take several chapters before I can answer all of them questions, y'know?_

_But still, thanks for all the awesome reviews, guys! Cookies to all, until next chapter!_


	60. Dark Relations

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note:_ Okay, I think all the suspense has driven some of you to insanity… some of you are singing songs about Kaiba in the cell… and some of you still want to stab me till I scream. _

_Ah, the love..._

_I give my appreciation and cookies to: _**Hikari2, SeleneXAngel,Elfbrat18, ArchangelAki, inuyashagirl22, Nenny, spiritfire, Isis the Sphinx, feyannabellee, **_and _**Maridel** (_It's okay, Maridel, if your laptop's screwy I'll stillcount the PM! It's a review to me! Hopefully you get that fixed soon, though!)_

_And now we move on... away from Mai and Kaiba, and back to something a little more... Atemu-ish. Can I get a WOO-WOO!_

_Read all the vampire-goodness!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 60: Dark Relations….**

"_That was fun, wasn't it, Atemu? It certainly is good to see you again_… _welcome back_… _little brother_."

He had fallen into the emptiness of a dreamless sleep, one forced upon him just as he was about to partake in the sweet revenge he so longed for. Floating in the nothing of his soul, it was as if his feelings froze, remaining in suspended animation until the moment he would open his eyes, until the instant that he could awaken to his fullest and continue with his crusade. No sleep would hold him back.

No rest would quell his furious dark heart.

Everything was dark, everything was dreary… everything reeked of desolateness and unforgiving. Atemu's darkness seethed, hissed, slept in the uneasy haze of his drug-induced slumber that was brought about just seconds before revenge could be reaped in the name of his aibou. His heart felt jumbled, his soul locked in a tail-spin as he fell into the nothing, as he became the nothing that swept the expanse of his sub-conscious. Feelings, all kinds of feelings, swept themselves through him in waves of chill and heat, of rough and silk, all calling different sides of him, different responses. He felt horrible guilt and terrible sorrow for his aibou, for his partner—he was dying, wasting away as his body was obliterated by a foreign magic. He was guilty for not saving him, for not seeing Anzu, for not saving Yugi for Anzu… he knew she would be heartbroken, he knew she would be upset if his aibou did not return in this fight… he felt guilt for her being in the Shadow Realm, fighting horrific evils unimaginable, and he could not help her.

He couldn't even say goodbye… he couldn't even… tell her his feelings.

Then there was the rage… oh, the rage. Images of Samira swirled about in his mind, and with them he saw red, he saw death, he saw the will to destroy. From her likeness brought forth a darker side of him, the side untamed, the side without light or mercy… from her eyes his own anger, boiling white hot and enraged, would explode as he seethed, as he hissed and screamed at her to die, to fade away into nothing. He could not control the feelings that fumed within him, he was at their mercy as he obeyed his instincts all too much. Not a smart move for an elite gamer, to be influenced so heavily by his emotions.

But something about Samira stirred within him forgotten feelings, sensations… ones of pain, despair, and above all, darkness. Her mere presence made him lose control, made his darkness rear its ugly head as he became intoxicated with the all-powerful shadows. It made him different, it made him something else….

It made him evil.

---

Slowly the sensations changed as his mind re-entered consciousness, as sleep left him and the sandman departed to his next victim. No longer did he float amongst the shadows, drifting like a feather on a dark veil of the wind's silhouette—now corporeal feeling returned, as Atemu sighed a little in awakening.

His memory was a jumbled mess, scattered in broken pieces as he attempted to fully recall the events prior to his sleep. As he did so he regained sensation in his limbs, to which he realized that his arms were hanging above him, attached to something that held him still. And his feet were dangling in the air as he leaned against a smooth wall.

He remembered fighting… fighting with Yugi, who was not himself. He then saw Samira, casting Yugi aside as he begged her for forgiveness. Instantly his feelings were enflamed, as he remembered how his heart lurched at watching his aibou shake violently, his body suffering as his mind was numbed to a small puddle of nothing. How the woman had cursed his hikari, how she had erased his memories so that he could not remember his friends, or even him… he groaned slightly in semi-consciousness as the memories stirred, as his rage sputtered in horror… he recalled how angry he became, how his rage had taken over as he went to kill her, to suffocate her and remove whatever life Ra had obviously given her by mistake… he remembered someone from behind, and he remembered passing out. He remembered the dizziness of whatever they had gassed him with, and how his body collapsed as his mind faded along with his vision.

_She drugged me, causing me to sleep_, Atemu realized as he shifted his body trying to relieve the sudden ache he felt in his muscles from the fight he had earlier. To his dismay he realized that his arms were chained above his head, as he felt shackles clank against the smooth stone that was the wall behind him. He tried to find the floor but his feet could not—they uneasily swayed in the air as his body modified itself uncomfortably.

_Where… where am I_? Atemu moved his head a little, his neck stiff from lazily hanging downcast from his bound vessel. From the darkness behind his eyelids he sensed light—flickering torches and flames, all around the room. He could hear them crackle as they absorbed the air and burned the wood, making the air musky with their scent. The air was unusually cold, chilling him as his arm muscles strained against their bindings weakly—it was all as he remembered from Samira's throne room. _Why am I hanging from a wall_?

As his strength returned to him and full consciousness as well, he felt confident enough to open his eyes. They fluttered open a bit, as he cast away the feeling of drowsiness that still plagued him and tried to focus on waking up—he blinked tiredly, removing the foggy vision he managed to achieve upon awakening. The room was very familiar, he realized, as his heavy-lidded eyes took in his surroundings to see where he had been taken to. There were pillars, and the room was the size of a large hall—torches were set up along the wall opposite him, and not too far away, against the wall adjacent to his on the left was an ornate throne bearing the one person that he now knew all too well:

Samira placidly sat in her throne, staring at nothing as she let her chin rest in the cup of her right hand as her right arm was propped up on the armrest of her throne. Her garnet orbs distant, she sighed heavily as she absently twirled a lock of her obsidian hair between the fingers of her left hand, staring at the hair as if highly uninterested in it yet bound to be enchanted by its simplicity. Her legs crossed, she was still dressed in all her black attire, from the leather corset to the steel-toed boots, her bronze skin dazzling under the faint light of the torches and fire pits around her. Atemu, as soon as he spotted her, growled in response to his instant fury—she was sitting so nonchalantly, even after she knocked him out and nearly killed his aibou… it made him hate her even more.

Obviously his snarl must have been a bit too loud, because as he did so Samira turned her gaze away from her hair and instead towards him. She was looking up at him, as Atemu discovered he had been chained to the wall in her throne room—he cocked his head so that he could see above him, and he noted how he was bound at the wrists to shackles that were chained to pegs in the sand-brick wall. Out of natural instinct he struggled against them, pulled on the chains that he hung from, but the pegs did not budge from the stone—it appeared that he was well taken care of, as Samira arose from her throne elegantly, a smirk worn on her tanned face.

"Good evening, sleepyhead…" she cooed. "Looks like someone's still an early riser, with a bed-head to boot." Samira slinked down the stairs from her raised dais, her snake-like movements flowing like crisp shadows and fog as she watched him curiously. "Hmm… that chloroform should have put you out for a little longer… but I guess the **stubborn** can't be sedated for too long, now can they?"

Atemu ignored her words, though, continuing his fight against the chains and shackles that bound him. Atemu was strong—he had not been a warrior prince for nothing, as Samira's henchmen could convey, but even his force could not undo his bindings—he heard Samira chuckle, and he ceased his battle, instead glaring at her with noxious violet. "Save your energy, Atemu—those restraints are made not only from the strongest materials in Egypt, but also improved with Shadow Magic to ensure their resilience. The more you struggle, the harder it will be for you to escape."

"Samira…" Atemu hissed, feeling his anger roar as he peered into her half-lidded crimson eyes. She seemed so calm, so sure of her victory… he would not let her win, he would not let her have that pleasure! Not after all she had done to his friends! "Release me, **now**…."

Samira laughed, amused, only to make Atemu's anger become more enflamed. "Atemu, are you **commanding** me to undo your chains and shackles and let you down from there? With **that** attitude?" She chortled at his snarling. "Please, I might as well be asking for a death match if I did that. Your darkness is far too untamed for such a feat—and if we do fight, I might end up killing you. Something that I cannot do just now."

Atemu fought against his restraints, baring his teeth viciously. She was mocking him, tempting him… and she was so sure that _she_ would kill _him_. His darkness told him the contrary. "Well then, if you won't release me, then let go of my friends! They have done nothing to you—they are not involved in this fight!"

"Actually, they are… just by knowing you, and you knowing them. They are bait, they are ransom, they give me power over you, Atemu. Do you think I would give up something like that so easily?" She snickered, sauntering up to stand below him, watching as he struggled with all his determination and heart ablaze. Like a caged animal, furious and persistent. "And besides, if I do let them go, they might try to come back and help you—for which then, they might end up like _him_."

Samira pointed to something in the corner on the opposite side of the room, her tanned hand gesturing for Atemu to look. Stopping his struggled momentarily, Atemu did gaze up, his eyes falling on a small heap that lay disgruntled on the ground. Atemu's eyes dilated as his heart stopped.

"**YUGI!"** he shouted, pulling against the wall. There was his aibou, flopped on the ground as he were a forgotten play thing, unused and left to rot. He didn't move, and his chest scarcely rose up and down to breathe shallowly—he was alive, but barely. His eyes were still open, but they were heavy-lidded, just covering over the clouded, vacant purple orbs that were his shrunken irises. His life was slowly leaving him, his spirit gradually seeping away into the ground—Atemu watched in horror as the boy breathed, tears welling in his eyes. "Aibou… aibou, get up! Please, **get up**!"

He could see that, despite his cries, the boy was motionless, showing no signs of ever getting up. He was almost an empty vessel—a vessel that was hardly clinging onto life as it was. He was nearly gone—only a few more hours and he may be dead forever. His gaze instantly shot to Samira, his amethyst stare suddenly turning crimson like her own. "**SAMIRA! You'll pay for what you have done to him**!"

Samira chuckled at the threat. "Oh, I'm sure I would have to pay… if you could get down from there." She smirked, flipping back a bit of her shadow-colored locks behind her. Atemu's glare narrowed, a deep rumbling emitted from his throat as he stared at her with hateful eyes.

"_I'll make you suffer, for what you did to Yugi_" he hissed threateningly as she walked away from him, her back to the Pharaoh as she hummed to herself, pleased. "For making him a _creature_, a blood thirsty _monstrosity_—" but he was cut off as Samira suddenly veered around, here eyes glaring infamously.

"**SILENCE**!" she yelled, abruptly wheeling around as her body and eyes glowed with an unholy light. Her right hand shot up, glowing with a blood-red aura, and Atemu's body was slammed against the wall, making him groan in pain as he scrunched his eyes tightly against his back being jammed into the stone. She stalked up to him, her eyes still glowing with a ruby light as she said, "We are not a _monstrosity_, little one! We are _vampires_, as much a person as any human! Don't you **dare** call us otherwise!"

After a moment or so of her glaring darkly upon the Pharaoh, she released her power, her eyes ceasing to glow as the claret aura faded away, and Atemu's body was released from her mental powers. He slumped, his vessel hanging limply from his shackles as he panted, trying to catch his breath from the last attack—his downcast eyes looked up, glaring at her from under his blonde bangs.

"You turned… Yugi… into a… vampire…" he choked now between ragged breaths, as his chest heaved up and down. "Then what… does that… make… you…?" Samira, who was now standing idly before his hanging form a few feet higher than her in the air, gazed up, her garnet eyes sparkling maliciously.

"I'm glad you would make such an inquiry" she said, her voice now silky smooth, like honey—tempting and sensual to behold. "From my blood heritage, I have inherited the title of being their _queen_… the Queen of the Vampires." She chuckled, toying with her hair again as she let her sharp canines shimmer under the light of the torches. "And that, in turn, makes you second-in-line to the throne… my dear little brother, Prince… of the Vampires."

---

The fights continues back at the cavern, even though now the sun was hardly half the disk it once was as it began to descend beneath the desert horizon line. Twilight was becoming the background, the dark shadows of evening hovering around the edges of the sky, waiting to fully invade the heavens and send it into eternal night. And where the quiet of the coming dusk should be, the sound of much battling ensued.

With many mind slaves fallen in his wake Odion took no prisoners this night. As he let Miss Anzu and the Tomb Robber drive away to hopefully take care of the evil princess known as Samira and her empire, he knew of what his fate foretold—he would fight, and fight, and fight until he could no longer. He had made it his duty to protect Miss Anzu and his family from this coming evil, and to this he would hold true—even if it meant his death. The loss of one life would be a sacrifice he was willing to make for the sake of all mankind.

Ishizu and he were continuing their struggle, and their main goal was to protect the other jeep from the mind slaves that battled them. With Anzu and Bakura driving away in the one vehicle, it was obvious who the soldiers wanted to stop—they would go after the two youths, hoping to kill them before they could make it to their Queen. Both of the Egyptians knew this, and as the fighting sustained they slowly let their focus come to defense rather than offense. They had to make sure that none of the servants got to the jeep—they had to make sure that Miss Anzu and the Thief King made it to the palace first.

Though Odion had his sights set on all of the men who opposed him, his fiercest battles were against their leader, the brown-haired demon that was resurrected even after the Tomb Robber clearly made him a corpse… a bloody one at that, and still the man denied even death, bringing back the blood within his body like a demented sponge. This man was the toughest and quickest, the smartest and the deadliest. The hardest one of them all to kill, or to at least render unable to fight.

And that was why Odion chose to take him down first.

They had been at it for at least ten minutes, exchanging jabs and drop kicks that never seemed to fall upon the other. Though Odion was beginning to tire, he could see that the leader was starting to weaken as well—his slower movements and sluggish reflexes were the opportunity the Tomb Keeper was looking for.

The brunette man swung forward, his fist just barely missing Odion's head. In response the Egyptian took this moment to duck under his arm, and swing upward, jabbing the man in the chin! His head titled upward with the force of the blow, blood spitting out of his mouth like a fountain as he gasped in surprise.

Odion backed away, panting hard as he tried to regain his composure—sweat dripped in beads off his face as his ponytail swung wildly behind him. Yes, he could feel his muscles ache and cramp as he started to grow weary, and the coming of night and less vision didn't go in his favor at all. The heat of day was giving way to cold, chilly nights; the hot, arid gales parting for frozen air as the sun left the vicinity as the moon would take its place. It was only sunset and the air was starting to take on a winter-like quality. Odion shivered a bit, the sweat on his neck and brow becoming cold.

He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take. Or how much Miss Ishizu could take. He looked over at Miss Ishizu, and he smiled faintly as he watched her slam the wrench down on one guy's head, forcing unconsciousness in seconds as the man's eyes rolled back and he flopped uselessly into the sand. She smiled, pleased with herself as she turned around and kicked another of the servants between the legs—though Odion did cringed a little as he watched the poor guy go to his knees, moaning incoherently, he was proud of Miss Ishizu. She was handling herself well in this.

He just hoped they wouldn't have to fight much longer—one wrong move and they were through….

"Hey baldy! You gonna stare at her all night?" a gruff voice said behind him. He wheeled around, to be instantly punched in the face! "Or are you gonna fight us? I'm waiting for an answer!"

Odion groaned as he stumbled, a bit of spittle coming from his mouth that he quickly wiped away as he got back to his feet. His vision hazed out for a second, before refocusing so that he could see the man before him. Just a simple servant, a young one that looked very energetic despite how long the fight had been proceeding for. He cracked his knuckles, the sound of it sickening as he did each of his fingers one at a time. Odion glared at him with dark emerald eyes.

"You would like an answer?" Odion asked with his deep voice calm, but in a flash he changed his expression, his eyes sharp as he pulled out the gun that Bakura had handed to him, and held it directly in front of the soldier. His eyes went wide in fear as Odion's index finger curled around the trigger. "My answer is…fight."

With a bang, the soldier slumped over and fell to the ground, a bullet firmly planted in his left lung. A bit of smoke came out of the recently-used weapon, and Odion put it away quietly, regretting the sound of the shot in his ears. He hated such weapons, such bringers of destruction, but in cases like these he was forced to use it. He had no other options—they had to win, and if the gun was his only choice, then so be it.

"Who else wants an answer?" Odion asked to the air, waiting for one of the other soldiers to give a sarcastic remark before charging at him. Instead he heard a terrified scream that sounded all too familiar—his eyes went wide in fear.

"Miss Ishizu!" he yelled, turning around to face where the cry came from. He looked upon a terrifying sight—the leader of the group, whom he had previously given a severe blow to only moments before, was back on his feet and looking for revenge. A lusting look in his eyes, he had grabbed Ishizu, his two muscular arms wrapped around her chest as she kicked the air, trying to free herself from his grasp. The other men were watching, a glint in their eyes as they curiously observed what was happening. There were only about four or five of them, though, since Odion and Ishizu and taken care of the rest.

Odion growled as he stalked towards the fiend, the gun back in his hand as he prepared to fire at his head. _Maybe a bullet to the brain will finally put you to rest,_ he thought as he came closer, bringing the gun up to fire. The leader took notice, however, and in that moment placed Miss Ishizu in front of his body like a shield. Still struggling, Ishizu saw Odion holding the gun, ready to fire.

"Odion, shoot him, please!" she wailed, but the servant placed a large hand over her mouth, making her cried muffled. He grinned sadistically at Odion.

"Hey, you wouldn't want to shoot the lady, now would ya?" he asked, a mocking tone laced in his husky voice. "After all, you could miss… and I'm sure blowing her brains to bits wouldn't solve **anything**."

"Let Miss Ishizu go!" Odion demanded, the gun still held in position as he tried to get a clear view of the man's head, as he hid behind Ishizu for the most part. He couldn't get a good aim without worrying about hitting Miss Ishizu. "Your fight is with me—leave her out of this!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk" the man replied, holding Ishizu tighter. "Now, I wouldn't say that, exactly. She's been taking out as many men as you have, with her handy little monkey wrench—I'd say she's just as much a part of this as you are. Now" he said, his eyes narrowed menacingly, "drop the gun, and I'll let the lady go. If you don't, well then…." He then let his tongue, which appeared abnormally long, run up the side of Ishizu's neck, making her flinch in disgust and Odion snarl in rage. The man finished, gazing back at Odion. "I can't guarantee that she'll be left alone for very long. Whatcha say, big boy? You gonna drop the weapon?"

Odion looked between the other servants, the leader, and Miss Ishizu as she still fought against the man that held her still. He could try to shoot the soldier, but he ran the risk of killing Miss Ishizu in the process—he could never live with himself of he did that, and not only that but if Master Malik was ever returned to his senses then he would surely kill him as well. There was too much of a chance that Odion might end up hurting Miss Ishizu, but if he dropped his gun, then would they keep their word and leave Miss Ishizu alone? They would probably take his gun as soon as he released his hold on it and shoot him instead—but he was not someone special. He had been the orphan found by Mrs. Ishtar so long ago, no one special, just a babe left for someone to find. If he died, it wasn't important—if Miss Ishizu died, then it would be all on him.

And he would never forgive himself.

In the quiet suspense, Ishizu managed to get her face from under the soldier's very filthy hand. She spit out a bit as she looked at Odion desperately.

"Odion!" Ishizu said. "You can shoot him! Kill him, I know you won't miss!" Odion looked to her somberly, his eyes filled with uncertainty. He wasn't sure what the outcome would be of either choice he made, and he had to make one, and soon. Miss Ishizu's life hung in the balance if he made any fatal error—and if it was by his own hand, he would never handle the guilt.

He brought the gun up, pointing it directly at Miss Ishizu's—and right behind her—the soldier's head, the gun clicking as he got it ready to fire….

And then he dropped it, letting it fall to the plush sand below. The servant, along with the rest of his troop, grinned at his decision.

"Nice choice, big man" the leader commented sarcastically. Odion ignored him, though, his eyes staring intensely into his with all the seriousness he could muster.

"I am disarmed" Odion announced, holding up his hands to show it true. "Now, let Miss Ishizu go." The leader nodded, looking very considerate as he smiled sympathetically… before letting that turn into a maniacal grin. From behind Odion two mind slaves—who had gotten in their positions while the leader had been speaking to him—grabbed his arms, holding him back as the leader got a better grip on Ishizu. The curator's eyes went wide as she screamed and struggled with all her might.

"ODION!" she yelled, and the Tomb Keeper tried his best to break free—however, the two servants had caught him by surprise, and with it they managed to get a good hold upon him, rendering even his massive form ineffective. Both of their fighting was evidently futile.

"We… had a deal!" Odion growled, pulling against the two men that were trying their best to hold him steady. The leader, who still had his arms wrapped tightly around the fighting curator, smirked devilishly as his eyes sparkled with a dark light, their lack of irises making them even more frightening to behold.

"We did, didn't we?" the leader mused, enjoying how Ishizu squirmed in his grasp desperately. "But you should know—never trust the undead to keep a promise." And with that, he looked down at Ishizu's throat, his eyes holding a lusting look that made Ishizu shiver with dread. He licked his lips, his sharp canines the most prominent of all amongst his pearly whites.

"You know…" he whispered in her ear huskily, his breath making her skin tingle as it was even icier than the air itself, "I bet you taste really good… let's have a nibble, shall we?" And without further ado, and to Odion's instant horror, the leader opened his mouth wide, and sank his teeth into the crook of Ishizu's tan neck.

---

Prince of the Vampires….

Atemu stared at Samira, unsure of what to make of her last statement. It made his memories jolt with the last sentence she had said to him, the last thing she had whispered so casually just as his world fell into complete darkness:

"_That was fun, wasn't it, Atemu? It certainly is good to see you again_… _welcome back_… _little brother_."

_Had she… called me her little brother_? Atemu asked himself, the startling realization hitting him with enough brute force to make his heart stop again. His eyes wide and dilated, his mouth slightly agape, he looked at her for a moment as she smirked at his obvious surprise. _But… that can't **possibly** be true… I have no siblings, none that I can remember… and father… father would have told me if I had a sister!_ And, as he really took to heart what she said to him, if that was really true, and she was his vampire sister… what did that make him? Was he… was he a vampire too?_ She has to be lying, she has to be trying to ruse me… playing tricks on my mind so as to keep me off balance, to confuse me. That's the only option—there is no way on Ra's earth that I have her for a… a sister!_

"You're lying" he said flatly, his crimson eyes becoming amethyst again as his anger seemed to draw back a bit from the stunned feelings he had just moments before. "You must be—I believe I would know if I had a sister, especially if I had one as evil and malignant as yourself, Samira!" The vampire queen was quiet for a moment, watching him with blank garnet orbs that showed no emotion—Atemu first considered that to mean that she had given up, that she had surrendered since she knew that her hoax had been faltered….

But then she grinned, her sharp teeth glistening as she chuckled a bit in delight. She shook her head, her shadowy locks flailing around her head lightly.

"Atemu, Atemu, Atemu…" she said, her voice melodious as she spoke his name in a kindred manner. "So much in denial… they really did a number on your memory, I guess, for you to be so **blind**. To think I actually have to help you remember **everything**…."

"I've heard enough!" Atemu snapped from his chained position against the wall. "I know that what you say is a lie! If what you said was **really** true, than wouldn't I also be a vampire? Wouldn't I show some form of relation to you at all, _sister_?" He said the last word mockingly, trying to rouse her. All it truly did was make her smile, which in turn made him growl in annoyance. He just couldn't shake her… she was so calm, so grounded… it was if she really did believe in what she was saying….

Samira shook her head, as if she was talking to a young child and trying to explain to him why the sun sets every evening. He wanted her to feel pain, like him and his aibou had felt pain. Yet, why did he always feel like she knew something he didn't? Like that she knew that all his fighting, all his attempts, were futile against her in every way?

She let her eyes pierce into his."Little Atemu, you really **don't **remember anything, do you? What a shame…."As she spoke to him she gracefully sauntered forward, and to both Atemu's awe and horror she started to levitate off the ground! As if by magic she flew up, floating directly in front of him as if she were attached to invisible strings. Her dress flowed with her mid-air dance as her face got close to his, his gaze caught in her blood-red orbs, not allowing him to look away.

"You're not showing signs of being one of our kind because you have not been awakened yet—you have not let your vampire side be released from within. Once you do that, you shall experience the same powers that I have obtained, when I was changed. But it can be done..."With his gaze still caught in hers, she placed her wrist in front of his mouth, as if tempting him to pierce the skin. "...If you are willing to accept your fate."

Atemu's senses suddenly tingled, and something instinctive pulsed inside of him… a wanting, a desire for what she presented. His eyes traveled from her gaze to her bare wrist, and he could feel an urge run through him, aghostly trailing of something familiar. As if it were second nature, he could sense the blood running through her veins, flowing like a steady stream of delicious water from the bottle. He could feel a thirsting within him—a desire to taste it, to see what her blood felt like in his mouth, running over his tongue… his eyes glazed over a bit, the animal instinct urging him on. He didn't know why he felt so inclined to do so, but he wanted to bite her, he wanted to taste her blood. He knew that it was warm and lucious, like a good wine. It made him thirsty, it made him want to try it... He forgot that he was fighting her off as his mouth watered, his eyes hazy. Samira smirked.

"You can have all the powers that I have, all the force and magic… you can become even stronger…just as long as I get the honor of bringing the vampire within you out… drink up, little brother—"Atemu was about to open his mouth, was about to let his teeth run over her flesh and let him drink her wonderful life force… but upon hearing her say "the vampire within you" he stopped, and his senses returned to him. What was he doing? And why in Ra's name was he doing it? Immediately he broke the trance that Samira had induced and glared at her, his eyes holding back a fiery violence.

"_Get away from me_" he hissed, his eyes venomous ruby as their determined amethyst was promptly washed away. He could not believe what had just happened--did he just try to _bite_ this demon's wrist, and _drink_ her blood? He had no idea what came over him, but whatever it was it was a powerful instinct. Perhaps she had mesmerized him and forced him to do it, to convince him of this mind game... yet, it all seemed to natural, it all seemed so familiar to him somehow...

Samira, seeing as Atemu could only glare at her as he was bound to the wall, looked down upon him as if insulted, her eyes holding a bit of annoyed anger as she retracted her wrist and floated back down to the floor. She huffed a little, as she stalked her way back to her throne.

"Have it your way, for now" she said to him, as she turned around and seated herself back onto the elaborate throne, her eyes looking over Atemu with a curious bothered look. She smiled, as if she knew something he did not. "But you'll come around eventually, one way or another. You'll see, little brother."

"Don't call me that!" Atemu said sharply, still angered by her attempt to make him into something similar to herself—this lie she was living was not the one that would rule him as well. The thirst was one thing, but being related was completely another."Stop with your deception—you're fooling no one with that lie."

Samira cocked an eyebrow, her interest rekindled as she listened to him seethe about what she had said. "Really? And what lie do you speak of? The fact that I call my kin by their proper title?" She snickered, enjoying his hateful eyes as they bore holes in her. "But I called you that so many times by now… even when you were being drugged. Who else could I call my little brother **but** my _little brother_?"

Atemu's eyes were slits, glaring at her for so long. He wanted to be free of these chains, to be free of these restraints so that he could choke the life out of this demon who she thought was his sister. He did recall how she had said that to him as whoever was behind him placed the cloth over his mouth… and then an idea came to him, and he smirked at the thought that apparently made so much sense.

"How do I know you weren't talking to whoever gave me the chloroform in the first place, Samira?" he said slyly. "You may be using the term to throw me off now, but what about then, eh? How do I know **he** isn't your brother, and you've just been toying with me ever since?"

Samira looked over at Atemu, a strange look in her eyes that made Atemu feel surer of himself. _I knew it was all a trick—and I just saw right through it! Give it up, Samira_! She rose from her throne, a dark look in her eyes as she stalked over to him, and then stood before him as she gazed back up. The mischievous look then returned to her eyes, as they laughed at him with much vigor and definite amusement—Atemu was beginning to get tired of that same horrible look.

"You are **so** persistent with this denial thing!" she chortled, smiling broadly at how he hissed curses at her under his breath. He couldn't take much more of her antics, much more of her amused personality. So smug... it was like she was in complete control of the situation, and had no fear otherwise."Making cute little excuses like that… oh, I haven't had this much of a laugh in a **long** time!" She continued to cackle, and Atemu sat-- or hung--through it, watching her with so much dislike that if looks could kill she would be a pile of ash in his wake. She continued to laugh, until finally she calmed herself, and gazed upon him with much anticipated enjoyment.

"If it would make you feel any better, would you like to see the one who put you out for the last half-hour?" she asked sweetly, her teeth sparkling beneath her blood-red lips. Atemu didn't answer, and she simply chuckled at him. "I'll take that as a very annoyed 'yes'." Samira then brought up her right hand, and snapped her fingers—within the time it takes to blink, a form emerged from the shadow of one of the giant pillars that lined the room, coming into view amongst the flaming torches. He was a young man in his twenties, with short red hair messily arranges so that it spiked up a bit around his bangs over a black headband he wore. His eyes were a sea green color, glittering against his pale skin that looked so contrasting against his dark robes of black cotton. He sauntered over to stand just behind Samira, a smirk gracing his lips.

"Atemu, meet Daniel, the one I summoned to help keep you from tearing your dear sister to shreds." She gestured to the boy, and Daniel came forward, standing now beside his Mistress as she laid her hand on his shoulder. "He's one of my more 'personal' servants… one who eventually chose free will as opposed to forced servitude. It's a refreshing change of pace from the normal use of my powers." She looked over at Daniel with heavy-lidded eyes, her gaze catching his as he bowed to his Mistress.

"Thank you for summoning me, Your Highness" he said, nodding his head down to show her higher rank. She nodded to him, accepting his terms of endearment as she glanced at Atemu from the corner of her eye. He was watching them with slight interest, but more or less he seemed to be amazed at the loyalty this boy showed. She smirked, seeing his expression change a bit from its angry glare.

"Daniel, how long will you be loyal to your Queen?" Samira asked, looking at the boy curiously. The youth paused for a moment, as if trying to come up with the right way to say this, before he got down on one knee, and took her hand to his lips, for which he kissed it ever so lightly.

"Forever, as long as I am able" he replied, his face downcast as he kissed her hand again. Samira grinned, watching him as he brought himself back up to standing before her. Atemu felt like going over to the boy and punching some sense into him-- couldn't he see that this was a demonic killing machine that he was bowing to and praising? But as he was chained and bound,so he could not-- instead he watched as Samira placed her tanned hand upon his face.

"Well, that's nice and all" she began, her one hand tracing over the side of his face as she had him locked with her garnet eyes. "But you know what?"

Then Atemu watched as she leaned over, past his face as she went to his ear, and whispered into it seductively, "I think… it's sad to say that, forever's finally over." Then, as if it was just a regular notion,she pushed his head to the side as she touched her lips to his neck, and sank her fangs into his skin, piercing the veins as blood dripped lazily from the puncture mark to her lips.

Atemu watched in mute horror as the boy formerly known as Daniel became limp in her arms, leaning back as she wrapped an arm around his waist while she drank his life force hungrily. He watched drops of the red liquid flow onto the ground, spreading out in a small puddle beneath the two of them that spread along the sand-brick floor.

_Did she just… kill that servant_? he asked himself, looking away a bit as he heard Samira sip the last of his blood from the dried husk that was once the red-haired youth. He couldn't believe it—the boy had done nothing but be loyal to her, and all of a sudden she just takes him into her arms and sucks him dry of all his life. What would happen to him? Was he dead?

Atemu could feel his stomach heave a little in response to her sucking noises on his neck, trying to get out the last few drops before she was finished. Yet, at the same time, he was... intrigued. Something inside him felt like this was normal, like this was something he could do. **Should** do... like right now. The thirst returned from before, and his stomach grumbled a little at the thought of the blood... the way it was dripping off of the dead boy and cascading onto the ground like. Being wasted, on the ground like that...

_What the hell is happening to me? _he thought desperately. He wanted to scream at Samira for whatever mind game she was playing now, but he was too busy watching her absorb the last of his life, her lips attached to his neck like they would never spearate. The boy hung in her grasp like a bag of rice, a complete dead weight at this point-- Atemu wondered if she would drain him of all his blood, or if she had spared him enough to live.

His question was answered as Samira looked like she finally had her fill, as she pulled her head away from the boy's neck and licked the excess off of her lips in a satisfied manner. The boy hung from her arms, his body an empty husk of what it had been only moments before, and without a single bit of consideration Samira picked him up by the collar of his robes and threw him across the room! With super-human strength she sent his body corpse flying, until it smacked against the opposite wall with a sickening smack and then peeled itself off, falling with a slight thud onto the ground. As Atemu's horrified gaze traveled from the body that now laid on the floor to Samira, he had to truly wonder—was what Samira said true? What if she had been telling the truth, and she really was his sister?

What if he was really a vampire, and he would do the same thing to someone else, to someone he cared about?

Would he do that to Anzu if he got thirsty enough?

_No! None of this is true!_, Atemu he tried to command himself to think, even as Samira finished licking away the blood around her mouth and stared at him with eager eyes. _This all has to be a lie—I would know if I was a vampire, I would **remember** if I was a vampire! Her lies, her tricks—I can't give into them! She's only trying to confuse me!_

"Ah, that hit the spot" Samira commented, smiling at her younger brother as she sauntered back towards where he hung from on the wall. "So Atemu—you can see that your theory was clearly wrong. You are truly my brother, because I am not so heartless as to feed off my only sibling,in all honesty and truth—now, the fact that you are not showing full vampire abilities is because your human side is hiding it, just as it did me before my side was awakened. But trust me—in due time, the human side will be pushed away."

Atemu looked at her, and though he was angry, he couldn't help but become somewhat curious. "My human side? What foolishness is that?" He remembered what he had learned about vampires when he was in the same body as Yugi—they had watched some horror movies that showed the creatures that fed upon humans and drank their blood to stay undead. Yugi also read some books with them-- fictional ones thatalways ended with the vampire being killed and the vampire hunter taking the pretty girl that said vampire captured, and thus, live happily ever after.Yugi always told him that vampires where just good in the movies—like the other horror show monsters, they were not real, and couldn't possibly be real. They were creations of the imagination.

Yet now, he was faced with a real vampire, and she was telling him about her once having a 'human' side… did she mean before she died to become this… thing? And when she said that his human side would be 'pushed away', she didn't intend to kill him… did she?

At Atemu's question Samira's eyes lit up—she then paced slowly near him, watching him like a vulture does a fresh carcass in the plains of Africa. It seemed her interest was snagged—or perhaps it was more like _his_.

"Yes, your human side, little Atemu" she crooned lightly. "You and I both have one… it's the trait we both obtained at birth."

"But I thought that a vampire was a vampire… the undead form of a human who has died and come back" Atemu argued, ignoring what she said about gaining it at birth. He still didn't believe that they were related… but maybe, if he got her to trust him, maybe she would release him….

Then he would kill her.

"Well, that's true with a _human_ that was changed by a vampire, like little Yugi" she said, and at the mention of his aibou's name Atemu's anger roared inside of him—he tried to quell it, he wanted to hear what nonsense she would say. "But with a hybrid combination, the rules are always a little different…. "

Then Samira paused, and her eyes met Atemu's again. Deadly crimson met powerful amethyst, and as she spoke a chill went up Atemu's spine, as she brought up something he never even thought about:

"Atemu… what do you know about our _mother_?"

---

Author's Note: _Yee! Another chapter done in a day! I'm SO proud of myself!_

_But, this doesn't really answer too many questions, now does it? Did you all REALLY think that one whole chapter would answer anything? This story is 58 CHAPTERS LONG! One chapter ain't gonna do it… but I'll get through it quickly, I swear._

_See y'all next update! _


	61. Origin of the Night

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Reviews! So many of them! YAY!_ (rolls around in piles of reviews) _SO HAPPY!_

_I'd love to thank the following peeps of mine:_

**YAMIXTEA 4EVER, ArchangelAki, Maridel, Nenny, becca, feyannabellee, Hikari2, SeleneXAngel, Atem's Only Love, ATEMU&ANZU FAN, Elfbrat18, spiritfire, Jna-chan, Peeps1993, Isis the Sphinx, **_and _**inuyashagirl22**

_I hit my highest amount of reviews EVER! A total of sixteen! WOO! The vampire thing did some good!_

_Let us continue, shall we?_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 61: The Origin of the Night….**

_The darkness and quiet of the Egyptian night seemed to swirl about like waves of blissful fog in the deeper corridors of the ancient Egyptian palace, the opposite of the lively, sensual parties that still continued in the throne room. Where the majority of the inhabitants were enjoying their permanent spectacles of pleasure and delight, ceasing to stop as they no longer had corporeal forms to command their fervent spirits otherwise, Siamun had separated himself from the ancient splendor, instead roaming down a few dark hallways that were merely lit by a few torches attached to the walls. Their flickering light was enough to guide him, as the shadows kept their silent watch upon him, trailing the old vicar as he walked towards a closed door at the end of the hall, and opened it gingerly._

_He had enough sense to know what was going on—even as time had worn upon his spirit he could still sense the use of strong magic echoing through the palace some time ago. He had really taken no mention of it at the given time, pushing it off as he assumed that his elderly state was finally getting the best of him—still, as the night wore on his nerves would not let the matter rest. Something powerful had occurred in the palace not too long ago… though, there was no such thing as time in the Afterlife anyways, as it went on different terms than how the real world operated. Still, something grand had occurred…._

_And he had an inkling that he knew what it was, as he opened the door to a room that contained the one occupant he had been meaning to find. _

_Akhenamkhanen was sitting on a small cot that would have made the room a servant's quarters, his face downcast as he stared at nothing in particular. In real life he had truly been a stunning man, one of majesty and authority, yet still showing a caring virtue that made all others hold him at great respect. His trim beard and chiseled face, along with sharp, intelligent eyes that bore into those who did wrong and comforted those who were hurt were amazing features that made his leadership one that was not to be forgotten—he had also been an extraordinary Pharaoh, truly a god amongst his subjects until the day that the heavens called him back._

_Siamun also remembered the way Akhenamkhanen had been a caring father to Atemu as a child—despite his duties as the king of his country he always made time for the young prince, taking time to play with the boy and teach him things about their religion and customs. He would occasionally take Atemu into the marketplace and show him the wonders of their true country, the real country of Egypt—its people. Akhenamkhanen felt that it was important for Atemu to become familiar with the people that he would soon take responsibility for, when he became the Pharaoh of Egypt and its subjects—though, Atemu was far more interested in partaking in the games that some of the local gamblers participated in to care about politics at his age._

_Such moments had always made Siamun smile with the knowledge that such a childhood was never long for a future king. Akhenamkhanen wanted Atemu to enjoy the freedom of being a child first and foremost, before fate could intervene and take that all away from the youth. Atemu was a bright boy, and would learn quickly about the ways of the world and its never-ending cycles of war and peace. Until then Akhenamkhanen just allowed him to be the child that he should have been, and let him gamble with the drunks—so long as he was supervising._

_Now things were different, the past a cloudy memory of times unforgotten. The late Pharaoh was still the regal figure he had been, just far more carefree as he now had no more duties to protect his country—being dead had its perks on some occasions. All he was required to do was enjoy himself and celebrate the life that he was granted after death—celebrate the wonder of the Afterlife and the timeless freedom from the living world._

_And his son was no longer the small prince who played games in the market whenever he managed to sneak out of the palace or go with his father. Now he had become the Pharaoh, the king of ancient Egypt and all its beautiful wisdom and majesty. Though fate had dealt the boy many blows and erased his mind of all his memories, he still found his way home, still found his way back to them as their king, as their god. A fallen god who had regained his rite of passage to the Afterlife._

_And it was also destiny's decision for him to **stay** in the world of the dead, for him to become a free spirit no longer bound by the ties of fate and its repentant will. But somehow, Siamun could assume that destiny had been tossed aside just as it had been so many times before, as he looked upon Akhenamkhanen as the man sat upon the cot with a distant look in his eyes. Siamun coughed a little to gain his attention._

"_My Pharaoh, forgive my intrusion" Siamun began, bowing deeply in the doorway as the other man sighed heavily to his vicar. He glanced over at the elder with slightly misty eyes—something Siamun had seen from his king in a long, long time._

"_No, no… it's quite alright, Siamun, dear friend. Please, sit down—I'm sure you're here for a very important reason." The priest obeyed, hobbling over slightly towards the cot as he sat himself down beside his Pharaoh, his fingers interlaced together as he heard the bed slightly sigh under his added weight. Siamun sighed as well, knowing that what was happening now in the other realm was probably the cause for the king's early absence, along with his son's. "What is it that you want, Siamun?"_

"_I'm sure you're already quite aware of what I have come to speak about, my Pharaoh. There is no need for us to continue this sort of small talk—I know where the prince has gone, I know that he is not with us now." Akhenamkhanen didn't dare object the man's accusation—instead he nodded his head ever so slightly._

"_So you haven't lost your touch, eh Siamun? Still as sly as you once were?" Siamun smiled underneath the cloth that covered his face, amethyst eyes sparkling in the torch light._

"_Five thousand years and I still have it—Ra blesses me, I suppose, to still be able to pick up magical energy like I used to." Then his face became very grim, the lightness of their previous comments washed away. "My Pharaoh, I know that Atemu is no longer here in our realm. He's back in the living world, isn't he?"_

"_You assume right, Siamun" Akhenamkhanen replied, his baritone voice still rich and strong like it was when he was alive. "He is back—resurrected with a strong magic that simply summoned his soul right to an earthly body. A powerful incantation was used—one that I didn't believe I would ever sense again."_

"_Same as I—upon feeling such a strong force in work I did not believe it either. But my suspicions were right" Siamun commented definitely, before peering over at his ruler with keen eyes. "And you didn't tell him anything, did you my King?"_

_Silence, until finally the man released a very exhausted, "I couldn't bring myself to." Akhenamkhanen's eyes glazed over a bit, the thought of recalling those old memories still making his heart become the dead weight that only heavy recollection could bring about. Things that he wished he were able to leave behind, sensations that he could only dream of erasing from his past—all of those things, haunting him as he watched his son fly through the portal to the living world, facing a past that he did not remember at all. _

_Siamun sighed as he shook his head, obviously a hint disappointed. _

"_My Pharaoh, I understand that some of the things I am about to say are out of context with my rank—"_

"_You may speak of them. I know that I need to hear this."_

"_Thank you. But what I have been meaning to say is that, Atemu had to know what he was going up against. To think you let him go out there to face Samira without knowing the real truth—"_

_Akhenamkhanen sighed profoundly. "I know, Siamun, I **know**. But, it was just… too hard for me to tell him. I didn't want to expose the truth when I am still trying to bury the thoughts myself." Siamun placed a hand on his king's shoulder, a gentle gesture of reassurance._

"_That I understand, my Pharaoh, but for Ra sake you should have pushed that aside! Your own hurt is far less important in comparison to that your son, the prince, discovering that he has a sister who is the embodiment of pure evil! The fact that he has a sister would be shocking enough, but he has no recollection of these memories—for him to just walk out there blind where **she** has to explain to him everything—"_

"_Siamun, it's alright" Akhenamkhanen said, trying to calm the already tense vicar down. "I know all these things—I know that I should have told him about Samira and his mother, about what he truly is… but the demons of my past were too much for me to bear in telling him, I was too selfish—I didn't want to relive that past again." _

_It was true—his thoughts were now jumbled with the memories that Atemu was stripped of so long ago. He remembered when Samira was just a child, when her mother would hold her and say how she was so proud of their child. Of their daughter. He recalled how Samira and Atemu were only children when things had gone terribly wrong—when his only love was torn apart by the secrets that she had hidden from him._

_When his country was ripped to shreds by the lies that were woven behind his back, with him oblivious to it all. To when he was a fool to his heart._

_And how his heart betrayed him in the end. _

_He could hear Siamun let out an exasperated huff, trying to contain his irritation. Siamun knew just as well as he did what was probably going on down in the living realm, what secrets Samira was exposing to Atemu, what she would reveal to him that had been lost for five thousand years. He knew the trials that his son would have to face, and he knew that Atemu would have questions for him once all of this was said and done._

_Such as why he had not told him, and why fate had dealt him such a cruel hand. Akhenamkhanen felt his own frustration at his unwillingness._

_He had only to wonder… would things end differently, if he had told Atemu the honest truth?_

---

Nothing. Absolutely _nothing._

That was what Atemu knew about the answer to Samira's question. What _did_ he know about his mother? In the search for his memories, for the pieces of his broken past he had been grateful for every morsel he received, for every clue that came his way, revealing another part of the ancient mystery of his past life. He was overjoyed with every new discovery, with every new-found treasure for him to cherish in his heart. Memories that were his own, thoughts that had been his, images that only he had seen, through his eyes alone. All of them quenched his thirst, and answered his prayers, one by one.

He had never been given his full memories back. All he had were the memories that he witnessed in the Memory World, and even many of those were altered or misguided by means of the Thief King's games and Zorc's interference. All he had were those of his last few days of life—of being Pharaoh, of his priests, of Akefia and Zorc, and of the way he finally conquered the Shadow Games and sealed them away. However, even those had been a blur; even those had been slightly tampered with as he never got to see everything in full detail and recollection. And the only memories he had that were not of the Memory World were the ones he had gained when there—ones of him and his father, and of the sacrifice his father made for him to be purged of the sins his father accidentally created upon himself.

In all of those pieces, in all of those moments, he never knew of his mother. Strangely enough, he had never questioned it either, as he had been content with just finding out who he had been, and that he had a family, had feelings—that he had been a person with his own soul, and not a part of Yugi's heart as he had been blissfully led to believe for a while. Even when he was in the Afterlife, he never wondered where his mother was, or who she was for that matter. He had been satisfied with the small amount of knowledge he had gained so far, not considering that other secrets were still veiled beyond his comprehension.

Did this Samira know who his mother had been? Or, under her reference, _their_ mother? He knew so little about his past, about having a mother, that maybe he did have a sister as well, and he just hadn't uncovered those particular memories yet. Or maybe they were hidden from him, something he shouldn't be allowed to see….

After all, Samira was a demonic vampire queen who had tormented his friends and nearly killed him—what was his mother like, if she was truly related to Samira and himself? Was she the same kind of monster… was she a demon bent on destroying the world as he knew it and changing it into a place resembling Hell?

Or was this all a fabrication made by Samira, all meant to confuse the life out of him?

He was silent, his mind now swimming through an ocean of possibilities. So many options were available to him, so many paths on the road to walk down… which would he choose? What would he believe? Samira watched him, her crimson orbs like a cat's as she followed his contemplative gaze, catching it like she had once before—she smirked darkly as her eyes narrowed sharply.

"Just as I thought" she said, her voice sensually devious as she coaxed a response from him with her eyes. "After all these years, their magic has still kept the memories from you—I would have hoped that you would remember, but seeing as you don't… I'll have to give you the summarized version."

"Samira…" Atemu hissed, not wishing to play anymore of her games. He wanted answer to questions, not to be led on for a wild goose chase that would only leave him begging for more—he had had enough of her toying with him. "Tell me. What do you know about my mother?" Samira snickered lightly.

"You mean _our_ mother, Atemu—let's not forget that little detail, my impatient little brother" Samira corrected, only to receive a venomous glare in return. "And I know plenty about Mother… a whole lot more than you, obviously. She is the reason for all of this, for all that is happening this night—She is the reason I have gone to such lengths to quell the rebellions of this wretched world!" Samira, with her arms wide open to the ceiling above her, cackled as she said, "She is what will make the world a better place, for all of us vampires to live in peace! And that is why I am here, and you as well." Bringing her arms back down to her sides she slinked in front of Atemu, her gaze trailing his as her heavy-lidded ruby eyes laughed at him in amusement. "Well then, I guess we'll be taking a little stroll down memory lane, then."

Atemu snarled at her nonchalance, hating the way she was so in control. A part of him did want her to spill everything, to tell all that she knew and fill in the gaps of his memories. The fact that he knew nothing of his mother—not even what she looked like, or how she sounded when she spoke—made his defensive wall waver as his curiosity was spiked. Who had been his mother, the woman who had given birth to him? Did this Samira person really know—was she really going to tell the truth, or would she be weaving another lie?

Then his gaze traveled back to the heap in the corner, to his aibou still dying in the room where he was unable to help him. His teeth were bared in anger.

_YUGI! How could I have forgotten about him_? Samira must have distracted him with all this talk about vampires and his mother—so much so that he nearly forgot that his aibou was gasping for his last breathes, motionless on the ground. He tossed aside his curiosity, pushing it to the back corners of his mind as he glared daggers at Samira, who arched an eyebrow in response to his suddenly flared rage. "SAMIRA! I don't give a damn about my mother or the past if Yugi continues to wither away the way he is! Heal him from your poisonous blood, or I swear you shall regret the moment you rose out of your coffin!" Samira watched him for a moment or so, before shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, I _could_…" she said, completely ignoring his futile attempts of boring a hole through her skull, "But seeing as _you're_ the one chained to a wall, I doubt that you're in a position to make such a demand, wouldn't you say?" She chuckled a bit, and Atemu's eyes grew wide as he fumed—his aibou was dying, he HAD to save him! He then regained his strength, pulling as much as he could against the chains that bound him and the pegs that kept him in place, growling like a caged animal as he fought against his restraints with vigor. Samira let out an exasperated sigh as she watched him thrash about, admiring his resistance and determination to a fault.

_Still, he is beginning to get a bit… annoying_. She shook her head, wagging her finger at him chidingly as he continued to lash out, his arms pulling fiercely against the chains as he tried to slowly coax the pegs out of the wall. It was to no avail, however, as he was truly captured by her restraints—there was no way for him to get out of them at this rate. He could hear her clicking her tongue at him teasingly.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… what am I going to do with you, brother, if you continue to act so barbaric?" Samira goaded him, her voice mocking in tone. "If it makes you feel any better, he's not a vampire anymore… my blood no longer gives him power, as all it will do now will be destroying the body from the inside out. Not much I can do for saving, considering that dark magic doesn't promote healing spells, but how about I give you a proposition of sorts: that if you stop your struggling and allow me to tell you our story, that I will help your precious hikari to the best of my abilities afterwards. How does that sound, Brother? Do we have a deal?" Atemu looked her over, his eyes unforgiving as his heart lurched at even the mere sight of her. Oh how he loathed her, the way she peered into his soul and made him feel as if she was pulling all the strings, commanding the whole operation while he was bound to her rules and desires. At this point his darkness coiled within him temptingly, fueling his fire, making his desires of vengeance escalade without limit.

But… he had to think of Yugi as well. Could he risk the boy's life now, as it hung in the balance of this dreadful circumstance? Looking back at Yugi as he breathed in shallowly, his body trembling a bit with the effort, he made up his mind—his heart was breaking as he remembered how his aibou had shaken in his arms with so much pain, and now he couldn't even cradle him to let him know that he was there. He doubted that he could trust Samira, but if he played along with this then maybe she would give him the opportunity he needed to save him. He just had to wait, be the patient game master he had been known to be.

He would have to quell his emotions, lest they get in the way and force him to play his hand too soon.

Ceasing his fighting, Atemu reluctantly nodded to Samira in reply. "I'll agree to your terms, Samira" he hissed, as his eyes traveled back to stare at Yugi remorsefully. "But if you go back upon your end of the bargain, you'll face a wrath that you have never yet witnessed—I'll make you pay for what you've done ten fold!"

_Heh, heh… we'll see about that, little Atemu_, Samira thought as she smirked at his compliance. She watched him glare at her for a little longer, before sauntering back to her throne and sitting in it calmly, only to stare back into raging eyes once again.

"So, you want to know about who gave you life, now do you little brother?" Samira cooed, twirling a lock of her shadow-silk hair between her fingers as she spoke. "Well, that I can tell you, but I should warn you first—the reality that you once knew and lived by will be torn apart by the mere telling of it. You will be exposed to a truth that was supposed to be well protected for millenniums—are you sure that you're ready for the real story of your life? Of your purpose, of _yourself_?"

"Just get on with it" Atemu snapped, his eyes darting back between Yugi and Samira as he felt his nervousness for the youth's condition increase. He had only been put out by the chloroform for about a half-hour, so Yugi still had some time if what Samira said was true. Though, did he place any faith in her words, in her silken yet deadly voice? He had to, if he wanted to help Yugi to live another day and to rid the world of the evils that now plagued it—for now he played her games, and for now, he would hear whatever mysteries that she was about to unveil.

However, a part of him _did_ want to believe, did want to understand and hear what words she would utter to him in a moment's notice. A part of him felt a strange tie to the woman who sat in the sand throne below him, watching him with a predatory smile that sent shivers running through him—somewhere within him, recognition was summoned between their eyes as garnet met amethyst in discovery. There was a thread that lay between them, a strong thread that pulsed through his heart like a familiar memory….

He did know her—now that his anger was subdued a bit and he could think with all the purity of his shadowy heart, he could sense it. This knowing, this feeling… the way her eyes stared upon him he just knew he had felt this stare before. Fuzzy images tried desperately to resurface from the abyss that was his still cloudy sub-conscious, but he could not reach them. They were suppressed by a force that was not of his own command, and he could not deter it—there _was_ something going on, and maybe the things she said were not all lies and deceit.

Maybe he would learn of a truth he was never supposed to know.

Samira grinned at the bite in his voice, still amused by his determination to stay cold before her. She remembered days when he had smiled warmly upon him, and had lovingly called him his "_elder sister_" with so much pride and respect. The thought made her heart tremble a bit in melancholy, but was quickly stifled as she swallowed her old feelings. Things were different now, and the times had changed, along with its people— it would all have to be rebuilt from scratch.

She would make him remember—for Mother, for Atemu, for herself. She would make him become the person that he was truly meant to be:

The Vampire Queen's jewel, the Prince of the Undead….

Samira placed a finger to her chin, tapping it softly. "Hmm… where to begin? So much telling, and so little time…."

"How about with some names?" Atemu insisted irritably. Samira gazed up at him with her ruby eyes, contemplative. Finally she sighed.

"A good place to start, I suppose" she mused, returning her gaze to out in front of her, staring away distantly. "Not like you would remember any names that I give you… such as Rakia, for example." She peered back at Atemu questioningly. "Do you know of that name, little Pharaoh?"

Atemu listened to name as it resounded in his mind… Rakia. The name sounded strange to him, foreign to the tongue and mind—yet, something within him grasped the name very quickly, taking it in instantaneously. There was a familiarity, a sense of knowing in that name… just as his mind searched, just as his mind tried to wrap its way around this feeling of knowing… it was gone. As fleeting as a feather in the wind, it had disappeared from him… he was left with an empty feeling inside of him of once knowing that name, of once understanding it. He tried so hard to regain that sensation, but it was truly ephemeral… he could no longer find it in his heart. Samira watched him as he tried to remember, only to see his expression change from sudden awareness to slight confusion.

"Can't remember?" she asked, but as she received no answer she continued to muse on it herself. "That was Her name, by the way… the name of our beloved mother. From long, long ago… back in our time, in the ancient lands of Egypt." Samira's voice became remote, as if becoming the whispering winds of the past she spoke of so fondly. "Mother used to tell me about how She had come to the ports of Alexandria in Lower Egypt, as a rich trade merchant's daughter who traveled around many times with business. Because of Her status in society, She went to parties that were hosted by the Pharaoh and his priests—it was at one of those parties that She came into contact with the young Akhenamkhanen, and as Mother had said to me when she told this story, that was where they had both been enchanted with each other. In other words, love at first sight." Samira grinned as Atemu listened, his interest obviously held. "Though, I think that in truth, Father was probably more charmed by Mother than it being equal—Mother was beautiful woman, with long black hair that reached down to Her waist, and sparkling crimson eyes like mine. All in all, they fell in love, and met many times after that fateful party as lovers and friends."

Atemu was intrigued—but she had yet to make him fully believe. It would take a lot more than a short love story to make him think himself a half-breed vampire. "So let me guess… Father loved her so much that she became one of his harem girls, correct?"

That had been Atemu's first thoughts as Samira had started to tell her tale—as much as he could recall from his days as Pharaoh, he knew that a Pharaoh would have a queen, but then would also have several woman in a harem that he could call upon as well. They were usually picked by the queen for the Pharaoh, so as to give him whatever she thought was a good woman, and sometimes children were born from these relationships. Whether or not Atemu and Samira were of these illegitimate children had yet to be assumed, but that didn't seem right….

Samira grinned widely to Atemu's response, obviously amused by his answer.

"That would be a likely story, yet a complete fallacy" she replied. "No, I'm afraid you must think even grander than that, little brother—Mother and Father were so much in love that Father proclaimed that She would be his queen, the Queen of Egypt beside him on the throne.

"He didn't question Her background or where She had come from—Mother's features seemed very Egyptian, and Mother did not tend to reveal anything like that. She kept Her history and past a secret from Father, and Father loved Her so much that he did not ask of Her these things. I guess it kept some intrigue between them, a bit of mystery as it were.

"However, there were other things that Mother didn't tell the Pharaoh—the true secrets that She dared not tell him or anyone else. You see, Her being a merchant's daughter was all a guise She created, for in reality Mother was a full-fledged vampire, as pure-blooded as a vampire could be. She came from a direct line of vampires, and was actually one of the royal family—one of the two surviving children of the late king, who had been massacred along with the rest of the family by vampire hunters. Her brother Tewfik died shortly after She had married Father, leaving Her as the only heir to the throne—the last Empress of the vampires. And this was a secret that She kept from everyone.

"Not that it would have mattered, though, as there was no such thing as vampires in Egypt before Mother's arrival—there was no record of them in their mythology, never notice of our kind at all. This made Egypt a nearly perfect place for the new empire—no one suspecting, no one knowing what a vampire even was. That was one of the reasons why Mother had come to this country and had enamored the present ruler.

"But there were other reasons too" Samira said, still continuing her tale. "Mother was a caring person—She even cared about the humans that were Her subjects, taking pity upon them. She was a kind spirit; I always remembered that—She told me that the humans were not our enemy, but another being that we would learn to live beside one day. She taught me of equality, even though the humans never gave our kind such luck. The prey fears the predator, and thus we were shunned from their society and killed like animals or demons. But that was why She chose Egypt, and why She chose to marry Father—even if Her children, us, were half-breeds, we would be safe from persecutions, safe from the discrimination that we suffered. We would be royalty, in a world that had never heard of a vampire—we would rebuilt the legacy of our kind, maybe even bind the humans and vampires as one. That was Mother's dream."

"But that isn't truly possible" Atemu argued. "Vampires feed on humans—the way I saw you take down that servant of yours, I doubt that any human would dare wish to live in peace with the ones that kill them."

Samira didn't seem bothered by his response. More or less, she was grateful that he was getting into this, thankful that perhaps he would soon understand. It was better than the biting remarks from before, even if those were very cute for her little brother.

"The way Mother explained it to us when we were younger, it made a lot of sense. It is the way of nature, the way the regular world operates. Do you ever look among the crocodiles and the other animals that drink from the Nile, Atemu? All of those animals live in peace with one another, knowing the rightful processes that work between them. The crocodile will eat the gazelle, and the gazelle knows this—it is the way of life, for prey to be eaten to nourish the predator. Humans consider themselves different from the rest of nature, and thus they are supposedly free of this principle. But the truth of the matter is, they are just as bound to it as the rest of nature, as vampires hunt for them and drink their blood just as the crocodile eats the gazelle. Once the humans realize this, there will be no more fear amongst them as vampires will take their fill and leave. The more the humans resist, the harder it is for vampires and humans not to clash—it is far better for them to just submit and let the will of nature take its course between us…."

Atemu could see that she had a point there—nature did work under those conditions, and it only seemed natural for humans to follow the same rules. Still, it was yet to be seen if that could ever happen in the real world—a nice dream, perhaps, but it was yet to be truly tested. Was that Samira's goal? To bring the humans and vampire together?

"So then what?" Atemu asked. Samira twirled around another lock of hair between her fingers, seemingly ignoring Atemu but presently aware of what was going on.

"Well, after a few years I was born, and few years after that you were brought into this world. Mother told me how happy She had been with our births—there was always the possibility of Mother's and Father's relationship being sterile, since mixing pure vampire blood with human blood was risky as it was a difficult abnormality of nature. But Ra had been very generous to us, as he had allowed for you and me to be born, alive and well with both qualities of a human and vampire between us. We were the perfect children—the ones Mother had always wanted. And She made sure to tell us that everyday.

"Things were running smoothly for a while—no one ever realized that the three of us were undead, or at least partially so. But it was in your infancy, and my childhood years that things took a wrong turn, when Uncle caught Mother feeding on one of the lower servants." Atemu, who had been listening intently for the last few minutes, hadn't really taken in what she had been saying until the moment she had mentioned her—or their—Uncle. His eyes widened a bit as he made the connection.

"You mean, Akunadin—"

"Yes, Akunadin" Samira answered, her voice holding a tense bitterness towards the name. "It had been by accident that he found Her with a human servant—Mother was very careful about feeding issues, as She was quite aware of the dangers that being caught posed for us. Normally She left the palace in the dark of night and feasted upon farm animals or criminals—never enough to kill them but just enough to quench Her thirst. Or She would perform psychic vampirism, a different method where Mother's spirit would leave Her body and would find another person's body and feed on their life force—the spirit energy that is in a person and can be extracted in blood—instead. Again, not enough to kill them, as She didn't want that to happen as it would place suspicions around the palace and cause a death She did not need. And though psychic feeding was much easier than physically doing so, it didn't give the same bodily satisfaction as regular feeding.

"You and I were still half-human, with our vampire side still dormant within us—we could feed like humans still, until we could be fully changed. But that doesn't matter—the point is that Mother had finally given into Her craving and found a small male human from which to feed off of. She told me that She had been quick, but still Uncle found Her in the middle Her meal."

"What did he do about it?" Atemu asked.

"Well, he wasn't familiar with vampires but Uncle knew that Her actions were not that of a human—he suspected Her of being a demon, and threatened to tell Father about it. Mother pleaded for him not to, as She knew what it would do to Father as well as to our fates. And Uncle used our Mother's desperation to his advantage, as he made Her a deal: if She told him about any dark magic that could be used to protect Egypt against the present invaders that they were facing in their present war, then he would not tell Father about what Mother really was. And She kept her promise, by leading him to a scroll that contained information about seven mystical items—"

"The Millennium Items!" Atemu exclaimed in realization—Samira nodded.

"Yes, the Millennium Items. Because of Mother's lineage She was aware of the presence of many dark artifacts, especially any relating to the powers of the Shadow Realm. We are vampires—much of our power comes from that dark realm, since we have a far easier control over the power of the shadows than humans. Several items of dark magic were even created by vampires because of this power, or by some other kind of creature that was also gifted with the magic of the shadows—there are several kinds, mainly the shape-shifters who rival us, such as the werewolves. We all have many talismans, amulets, and spells that harbor dark magic, and the Millennium Items happened to be one of those.

"Mother said they were created by followers of Zorc, who were most likely dark vicars from centuries back. She said it was one of those most powerful forms of dark magic ever assembled, and because it was so powerful no one ever dared to create them…until Uncle found the scroll that gave instructions to their creation. He was foolish, hungry with power… I remember that Father hadn't wanted to go to any lengths of war—he only wanted to create peace between our neighboring countries. But Uncle and him never saw eye to eye about anything, and because of it he went behind Father's back, and used the people of the village of Kul Elna to make the seven Millennium Items."

Atemu could see the slight anger that formed in her eyes as she spoke of Akunadin, and Atemu could understand that—Akunadin had been corrupted by power in his jealously of his brother since he thought Akhenamkhanen to be incompetent for the task of being Pharaoh. Akunadin had wanted to wage war against their neighbors, while Atemu's father had wanted peace between them… in any case, Atemu knew now that Akunadin had tricked Akhenamkhanen into allowing him to create the Millennium Items, forging them from the souls of the people of Kul Elna… the Thief King's village. That was what started the war between Egypt and the Shadows, between him and Zorc… that was something that even Atemu could never forgive Akunadin for.

But now, to make matters worse it turned out that Akunadin had used his Mother's secret against her, and used her to find the Items himself. Anger boiled inside of him—for all of Akunadin's dirty tricks, that would now stand as one of the lowest.

Samira continued her story, her words seething every time she made mention of Akunadin. "And as I think you know, when Uncle left he send his son, Priest Seto, far away, moving him far from the palace and his birthrights. Seto and I were good friends when we were children, since he was just two years old than I was—you were still an infant being nursed by Mother at the time when me and Seto would play as young children always did. I was devastated when Seto was taken away, and it's a wonder that I still remember that whereas Seto forgot all of palace life right after he left. Mother said that vampires mature faster than humans, so my memory was stronger than his and I could recall the event."

Atemu growled slightly. "But if you and Priest Seto were friends, why have you controlled Kaiba and done all the things you have to him? What gave you such a right to hurt a _friend_?" Samira snorted, laughing a little.

"Atemu, you foolish boy, did you not hear the word 'were' used in my story? We used to be friends as children, but when he returned in his older years I found that we did not see eye to eye any longer. He did not remember me, and I was no longer fond of him. He was starting to resemble Uncle more and more, and thus we went our separate ways. And Kaiba is merely the reincarnation of Priest Seto, so he is not truly him—same goes for your precious aibou, as he is only a reincarnation of you." Samira glanced over at Yugi's frail form on the ground, and she snickered lightly. "Not a very good reincarnation, I'm afraid."

Atemu growled audibly. "_Samira_…."

"Moving on," Samira said, ignoring Atemu's harsh attempts at warning her of the insult—she blatantly did not care anyways. "Uncle destroyed Kul Elna, and achieved making the Millennium Items. They were used to fend off our wars, and Father was quite pleased with them—he was glad that they could now bring peace to a land that had seen so much war. Mother always wanted to tell him otherwise, to warn him of the dangers that such items possessed to humans, but Uncle still had his eye on Mother on a constant after the feeding accident. I realized quickly that Uncle never liked Mother—he had been suspicious of Her from the start… another thing that he and Father never agreed about. All the other priests seemed to like Mother… even Siamun, who was a cranky old bat when he wanted to be, I have to admit. But Uncle was the only one who disliked Her, and the only one who knew what She truly was. What _we_ truly were. I think he knew about us being half-breed children, but he never said anything about it to Father because he wanted to use it later as a weapon against Mother… so long as he knew these things, Mother was at his mercy." Samira said these things with a bitter revulsion, referring to Akunadin with such a hatred that Atemu could see it glow from her eyes.

"But he never did anything drastic. You and I grew up after that—I was thirteen when you were eleven, and at that time the priest who wielded the Millennium Rod died of an unexplained illness. There was the need for a new priest, and it was because of this that Priest Seto came back to the palace to serve the Pharaoh as the new High Priest. It was obvious he did not remember me or anyone else, but Uncle remembered him… I could see it in his eyes when he saw Seto at the ceremony that would declare him his position. But he never said anything… I think he was too shocked that his son had returned after all those years, but I could tell. Mother had been training me to do so since we were small."

"Train you?" Atemu inquired; Samira nodded sharply.

"Yes, train—Mother may have wanted our identities as half-breed vampires of the royal family hidden, but she also wanted us to be strong too. She wanted us to know of our heritage, and to be able to protect ourselves if we needed to. Our vampire blood allowed us to have far more control over shadow magic—summoning monsters, performing dark magic… despite the fact that you tended to day dream a lot, both you and I excelled in Mother's teachings and Mahado's as well, though he didn't know us to be vampires. He just thought we were extremely gifted, the foolish human that he was. Mana thought us to be gifted too, but she was your friend, not mine—I chose not to hang out with any of your friends if I could manage. Mother was the best company… She always understood me best. And as the future Queen of the vampires, I wanted to be just like Mother—I wanted to be just as great if She was, if that was even possible.

"But that wasn't enough, apparently. After a while Mother had realized the potential that the Millennium Items possessed for our kind—mainly you and I, as it were. She knew that She was unable to wield any of them, so it was up to us to try and regain the dark powers from the humans who used it so imprudently. She was relieved to see that you were destined to have Father's Millennium Puzzle, but when it came to me… I was not so fortunate. According to Isis there was no future of me with a Millennium Item, and to Mother that did not foretell of good things. She said that it was absolutely necessary for us both to have one, as that would mean that if we had to, we could use them all—an essential requirement if we were ever discovered. She also wanted the best for us, and the best was power… Mother was absolutely determined to help me get it."

"How did she go about that?" Atemu asked. He had never known anyone to wield a Millennium Item when they were not destined to without major consequences or requirements. The Thief King had used Mahado's Millennium Ring, but he had a soul of darkness courtesy of Zorc—he had no problems with it at all. Then there was Malik, who used the Millennium Rod when he wasn't supposed to—Atemu wasn't sure if Malik was the true wielder of the golden scepter, as Seto seemed to be the true holder. Either way, Malik didn't exactly have a good experience with the Rod, so it could never be sure.

"I'm getting to that" Samira insisted, before continuing. "Now, remember when I said that Priest Seto would be allowed the Millennium Rod when he became High Priest? Well, before it was granted to him the Rod was locked away in a lower treasury of the palace, protecting it from thieves who were stupid enough to believe they could use it. Apparently if you weren't the chosen wielder then your flesh would be burned right off of you, and you would be sent into a realm of nightmares because of your insolence—Father didn't want anyone to be injured because of it, so he had the Item locked away for the time being. And that was when Mother initiated Her plan.

"It was you, me, and Mother who snuck into the treasury in the middle of the night, as the guards trusted us with whatever we wanted within the palace reserves. Mother intended to use a powerful spell that She had discovered while searching through the catacombs and libraries of the palace—one that would supposedly allow the magic of the Millennium Rod to meld with mine so that I would be applicable to use it, along with the other Items as well. She used you to hold the Item for Her, as you were already protected by the Items' power and could use it as you pleased, while She cast the spell around me and the Rod in the treasure room."

"I doubt that" Atemu said flatly, as Samira's gaze shot up to meet his. "I know what's right and wrong, and doing something like that seems very criminal to me. Even as a child, I doubt that I could be swayed to help perform such an act upon the Millennium Items."

"So you say" Samira answered coolly. "But even if you knew it was wrong, you would be doing it anyway under Mother's will. To be brief, Mother was the Queen of the Vampires—having such a position, Her powers were far more powerful than any vampire around. With Her powers being stronger, the other vampires must obey whoever is the present ruler—it is not a matter of punishment, but simply the fact that Her power commands their will, thus leaving them to Her authority. And Mother was definitely stronger than you at that time, so there would be no right or wrong in your head when this spell was cast—only that of obeying Mother. She was a Goddess amongst our kind, just as the Pharaoh was a God to his people—you did as you were told, because Her will was the divine will that all vampires followed. There was no arguing against it—Her will was always right.

"There was no need for her to dictate me, however, because I was more than willing to go through with this ceremony. I wanted to please Mother, make Her happy with me—after She discovered that you could wield the Puzzle, Mother seemed to love you more, give you more attention and more power… I had always gotten that because I was the eldest, but after that, I played second fiddle to you. She said that it would be _you_ who ruled the vampires, and that I would be at your side… but that wasn't good enough for me. Never was, never will be!" Samira declared to Atemu. "I was supposed to be Mother's favorite, but it became you when you were the holder of the Millennium Puzzle. So I made it my goal to become even more powerful, even more deadly… if I could prove to Mother that I was better, than maybe She would finally see you as my inferior for once… the inferior I knew you to be.

"And that ritual was my ticket to getting there. It lasted hours, and I was so exhausted afterwards… so were you and Mother, as She told me that the spell was coming to a close. I couldn't wait to receive the Rod… I wanted its power, to be its master. Sure, Seto was probably a good wielder too, but this was far more important to me than anything else. This meant everything to me… I could care less about what Seto needed—after all, he didn't even remember me. Why should he deserve a power that would mean life or death for me?"

"Life or death?"

"Yes!" Samira replied. "If I didn't become the Rod's wielder, my future was lost to me! Mother would not respect me as much as She did you, and what if I was persecuted? If I had the Rod then I could use its power to control everyone around me—no one would kill me if I told them not to. Without it I only had my vampiric powers to reply on, and even those were not at their best. It was the only way for me to regain Mother's full attention away from you, and secure my future." With unwavering eyes she continued on. "When we finally finished, Mother told you to give me the Rod… She said that the ritual should ensure that I could handle the Millennium Item just fine, that I would not be punished for the sins that others claimed I would have against it. And I trusted Mother… I would trust Mother with anything. If Mother told me to jump off a pyramid I would do it, and not because I could fly if I took my full form. I placed all my heart in Her words… Mother was always right; Mother always knew what was best… She was the Queen, after all. A divine being!"

"And, was she right?" Atemu asked, stunned by her obvious loyalty. Was Rakia so powerful that even someone like Samira would bow before her with such deference? He watched as Samira let her eyes fall downcast a little, the memories resurfacing in her thoughts as she sighed heavily. For once, Atemu could see sadness in her once-laughing eyes… a twinge of guilt, a spark of sorrow. Atemu was now even more bewildered by this so-called sister of his.

She gazed at the floor with much disinterest as she said, "I think I must have done something wrong… maybe I had doubts, or maybe I really didn't want all that power. Mother is never wrong, with anything She does… it must have been me who sabotaged the spell, because the instant my hands grasped the gold scepter I had screamed out in pain. The Item was burning through me, punishing me for trying to wield it… I remember wanting to let go, but Mother's will was still with me, and I wanted to please Her so badly that I held on, trying to get the magic to join me to it. Mother was so scared for me, and I could see you were also so frightened… Mother tried to pry my hands loose but I didn't let go, and you tried to get the Item from me so that it would not burn my hands. But… I wouldn't let you. I wouldn't let you stop me from getting the power I needed, from taking away what I need to do! So I held on and I could feel my flesh melting off my hand, burning away at my soul… it was so much power that I was knocked unconscious shortly after."

Samira's eyes looked down at her own hands, and Atemu looked to see that her palms had no burn marks that he could see. They looked normal, with the exception of the glowing Eye of Ra on Samira's left hand. "When I awakened, I was back in my own room, with my hands all bandaged up. I discovered that my screams had been so loud that the guards had heard me, as well as some of the priests—one of them being Uncle. When they got down there, I was already out cold, but I was still gripping the Rod apparently as Mother and you tried to get me away from the guards. But it was too late—they had seen what we had been trying to do, and that's when Uncle decided it was a good time for him to reveal all of Mother's secrets about us. Father found out, and he had been devastated by it… he loved Mother, even if She was a vampire.

"But the other priests didn't see it that way. They saw Mother as an omen, as a demon who was trying to corrupt the kingdom. They convinced Father that Mother was a danger to his people, and he reluctantly accepted their decisions upon what to do with Her…." Samira paused, and curiously Atemu looked upon her still form.

"And what did they do?" he asked in a hushed voice. Samira looked up, and for once he saw something more than the darkness and evil that he thought lurked within her all this time.

He saw tears forming at the edges of her eyes, and they were filled with a swirling mass of grief that was so heart-felt that felt his own soul lurch forward in similar melancholy. And in a whispered voice she spoke, but her own tears already gave him the answer that he knew was coming.

"They did… the only thing they could do" she hissed.

"They executed her."

---

Author's Note: _OMIGOD that was so long…the longest chapter ever for any of my stories, actually. I'm glad this chapter's over, except the next chapter will have just as much explaining as this one… damn, so much to explain._

_I hope this starts in answering some of your many questions. Still more to come, though, so review me if you want the next update! Tootles!_


	62. Revelations of the Forbidden Kind

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note:_ I'm so glad everyone liked the explanation chapter that I last posted. And I know I should be updating my other stories as well, but presently I'm on a role with this one so I just have to keep going until I feel I can no longer. I'll try to get to _**Prince of the Orichalcos **_and _**Desert Aqua**_ soon, though._

_My cookies and gratitude all go to these peeps of mine:_

**Elfbrat18, Hikari2, ANZU&ATEMU FAN, Isis the Sphinx, Lazella, spiritfire, Atem's Only Love, Maridel, Peep1993, SeleneXAngel, **_and_** feyannabellee.**

_Hey, I'm still surprised that no one noticed that Daniel (Samira's now husk of a servant) was the security guard from the museum in chapter 2. Seriously, I thought at least one person would remember that but, it has been about 60 chapters, so I understand._

_Moving right along…_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 62: Revelations of the Forbidden Kind….**

"But, I thought that vampires were immortal…" Atemu began, trying to suppress his own feelings. His mother had been… killed? Executed… by his own father and the High Priests? Before today he hadn't even known he _had_ a mother, and now he was realizing the worst thing a son could ever discover: that she had been slain by those who loved her.

He could see Samira's tears, but now they were like frost crystals beside a raging fire; her crimson eyes ablaze with hatred, he could sense her seething in her chair at the memories that she was retelling, that she was revealing to him. He understood her pain… it must have been hard to know that your own mother died that way. He did not remember any of this, but even his heart was weeping with the thought of his mother—the kind, caring, loving woman that Samira had explained to him—being killed.

Why hadn't his father told him any of this? Why had he kept it all a secret? Atemu wondered if the pain had been too much for him to bear, in knowing his own wife had been killed, and that he had decided of her that fate. Could he even live with himself, knowing that?

Now Atemu wanted to speak with his father, to ask of the former Pharaoh so many questions… but none would do now, as he still had to hear the rest of Samira's tale of the woman known as Rakia… and to him, Mother.

"Vampires… are immortal, Atemu" Samira finally said, pushing away her tears and refocusing on the task at hand. "But that doesn't mean we can't be killed. Vampires won't die from diseases or certain wounds which our systems can heal while a humans cannot. However, a vampire can be killed just like a human can… we are just quicker and stronger, making it difficult for us to be hit with enough force to totally destroy us.

"The same principles would have applied to Mother too, but She was also the Queen of the Vampires… having such a bloodline gives one far more power than that of a normal vampire. Because of Her fluent use of Shadow Magic, Mother could break swords with Her mind, and will poisons from Her body. The priests had a hard time trying to figure out how to kill Her, so after many failed attempts they finally enlisted in foreign help—they send messengers to far-away countries to ask of how to execute a powerful vampire properly.

"It would take months for any information to come, so with that time Mother was locked away in one of the most secure dungeons in the palace, wearing rags and given only meager human food to eat. I knew that Mother could not eat the food they offered, so I always visited Her cell as much as I could, brining Her dead rats and birds that I killed when I was not under harsh supervision. It was all I could do for Her at the time—I wasn't strong enough to release Her from the cell, and if I did there would be severe punishment for us both. And Mother told me this was for the best—She had refused death so far because She did not want to leave you and me alone for too long… She wanted to make sure that we would be alright, that we could survive on our own.

"After a while, there was a relay of information from the northern countries, saying that they had a special team of vampire hunters and priests in an organization that dealt with such situations. Siamun and the other vicars called for their assistance immediately, and it would take them roughly one moon cycle—a month in modern terms—for them to arrive in Egypt. I started to panic—in one month Mother would be killed, and then, what would happen to you and me? I didn't know if we would be killed or not either, though it was doubted since I don't think Father could have lived with himself if that ever happened. He had already gone into a terrible state of depression after he found out Mother's true identity, and Mother told me that he did visit Her cell every once in a while… always to apologize for what was going to happen. Always to say he was sorry.

"The moon cycle was halfway through when I went to Mother's cell one night, and She finally told me that She was strong enough to do something that She had been meaning to do for the past few months: She needed to change me. She said that using Her magic to defer all of the priests homicidal attempts on Her had worn Her down, but in waiting for the vampire killers to arrive She had recovered enough of Her energy to perform the change upon me.

"I was so surprised when She told me this—I asked Her if it was really time, and She said that it was, without a doubt. She said that before She went onto the next life, or wherever the vampire hunters imprisoned Her, She needed me to take on the role of the Vampire Queen for a short time… She said that I needed to be a full-fledged vampire so that, when you were ready, I could change you, and you could become the Pharaoh of the Vampires. And because I didn't have an Item, She said I would need the extra power… and She did not want our bloodline to end. She said it was necessary for the power to be passed on, and I would be the one to do it."

Atemu looked at her with curious eyes. "So, I'm guessing you accepted her offer then?"

Samira nodded her head firmly. "Of course I did! Why wouldn't I? Mother's power is far beyond a measurable comprehension—to gain such magic is like becoming a God, becoming something far more important than anything in the world! It was the ultimate showing of Her love to me—to want me to have Her power, to make me something great like Herself… I graciously accepted, because I knew I had to anyways—Mother's will, after all, is the only will.

"We didn't make small-talk, and it wasn't a big ceremony or anything like that—the whole thing went by really fast, as I recall. Mother just grabbed me and bit into my neck, drinking my own blood really fast. I remember becoming dizzy—with that amount of blood loss so quickly it is easy for one to pass out, but I held onto consciousness as best as I could. When Mother finished feeding off of me, She then laid me up against the wall of the cell, and She bit into Her own wrist so that blood flowed from the wound. She held Her wrist up to my mouth, and at that point the loss of blood in me made me so thirsty that I lapped off as much of Her blood as I could get… you would not believe what Mother's blood is like, in comparison to any other. It is like the best wine, luscious and silky smooth… so full of power that one is giddy off it with only a few drops. I became so drunk with Her power that I started laughing incoherently, but Mother shushed me in case I alerted the guards as She forced more of Her blood into my mouth.

"Finally we finished, and the transfer was complete—with Mother's blood running through me, I was soon becoming fully undead—a pure vampire. Normally, the fledglings pass out during the change, but I had been strong enough to stay awake through the process—enough so that I could get back to my room and rest there, where the blood would take full effect and change me body and soul. I was very intoxicated at that point, so the trip to my room was a tough one… I don't even remember the whole thing, only that Mother waved goodbye to me as I stared walking… the next thing I knew I was in my room, and it was morning.

"When I woke up, I assume that I would not be able to stand the light of Ra—I knew Mother to avoid the light, so I thought it to be deadly to us. But when I was awake enough to notice Ra's light streaming in through my window onto me, I realized that I was actually the same way I was when I was human. It didn't burn me… I didn't turn into a pile of ashes like I thought I would. In reality, my eyes just became more sensitive to light in general—I could stand the sunlight, but not as well as I could as a human.

"When I became a full vampire, I realized that my bodily wounds could heal much faster than they did when I was human—I knew this because the burn marks on my hands, which should have taken at least half a moon cycle to heal, were gone in less than two days. When I removed my bandages, my skin looked as if it had never been burned at all… but there was something different. Something I didn't expect.

"There was the Eye of Ra, glowing in a blue light in my left hand. I thought I was hallucinating, as I had no idea what this meant, but upon going to Mother to ask of it She said that the Gods had gifted me with powers because of my bravery. She said that I had held onto the Millennium Rod for a very long time, much longer than any normal person would ever grasp it for—in such a showing of determination, the spell may have worked just enough that a bit of the Rod's powers had been conveyed to me, and was now permanently a part of my being. What kind of powers I had received were unknown to me as of yet, but Mother was happy about it nonetheless. She was grateful that She was still able to help me achieve such a feat before She died.

"I would go down to Mother's cell often to talk to Her, and when I was hungry I would ask if I could feed off of Her, and She agreed for a while. She said it was good practice for later, when I would be out on my own, hunting prey. Her blood was still way too much for me to handle with care—I was always left so giddy afterwards it's a wonder I wasn't caught after the first few times. And when it came to normal human food, I simply pretended to eat, or I said that I had already eaten and was no longer hungry. But things progressed smoothly for me—I started to mature, my vampire skills becoming sharper as I exercised them whenever possible. I told myself I was going to become stronger for Mother—I would make Her proud, as I had wanted to for so long before.

"I almost thought that if I became strong enough, I could perhaps break Mother out of Her cell, and let Her leave Egypt for good. But, after the moon cycle finished its course, they came for Her. The vampire killers.

"It was a group of seven men, dressed in foreign clothing and carrying strange items with them. They took residence in the palace for a while, and because of them I always hid in the shadows—I knew that these men were powerful, and if they dared sense my vampire self they would surely kill me right on the spot without questioning who I was. I could not risk such an event, at least not yet.

"They were always at Mother's cell, studying Her relentlessly. Mother told me that they were testing the amount of power She had, and what they could do to bind Her soul away. She told me what they said amongst themselves when they watched Her—things like that if Her regular body was just killed normally, then Her spirit might escape to another life form and use it as a temporary host or something. Mother confirmed this with me—She said She had the ability to leave Her body in spirit for psychic feeding, and She could use that as a way to escape Her body before She was killed and take over another vessel for a short term. So these men were trying to find a way to seal Her spirit to something as well as destroy Her body… they wanted Her to be dead, and to stay dead.

"Then, the day had come—I heard through the servant grapevine that one of the men had finally found a way to banish Mother for good, and they were going to do it that night. So when Ra fell below the horizon I snuck out of my room, and while hiding in the shadows I came down to the dungeon unnoticed to witness what they would do to Mother, to our Queen.

"It was the strangest ritual I had ever seen. With Mother bound with lengths of rope and chains the men were in a circle around Her, and they started chanting some odd spell. Mother saw that I was in the shadows, watching, and through telepathy She informed me that they were casting a curse that would seal Her soul to Her body so that when it was destroyed, She would be trapped in its remains. I asked Her why She was letting them do this, and She told me that they had used other spells to bind Her powers within Her. After they finished the hex they then surrounded Her closely, and stared to glow with an odd light. It was then that I heard Mother screaming.

"It was the most horrifying thing I had ever seen" Samira whispered loudly enough for Atemu to hear her—her eyes were distant as they recalled the frightening event. "From where I stood in the shadows I could see Mother's body, being changed into sand before my very eyes! Her body, disintegrating into a dust that swirled around in a vortex—first Her feet, then it went up to Her legs and torso… soon Her whole body was gone, just dust now as it spun about like a sandstorm within the circle. I wanted to close my eyes—Mother's screams were so agonizing that I could feel Her pain running through me in waves… but I could not close them, I **had** to watch.

"Then one of the men took out a strange jar… like a canopic jar, but the lid had the head of a dark entity on it, like that of the god Zorc, and the rest was black with odd markings all over it. It was obviously Shadow Realm-related, as it was certainly not Egyptian in any means. They started chanting again, and Her body—or what was left of it—flew into the jar, and they sealed the lid when She was all inside. Then the jar glowed, and the men started another mantra again… they started soft, and then became louder and louder… they became so loud that I covered my ears in terror, and the whole room became filled with shadows… and then it was over. The sealing was complete."

Samira paused, as if trying to regain her own composure a bit—Atemu waited for her to respond, but when she failed to he became both a bit irritable and afraid. He wanted to know what happened next.

"And then?" he asked patiently. "Then what happened? What did they do with the jar?" Samira sighed heavily, staring at the ground with much interest.

"The jar was locked away, in a tomb far from the palace" Samira answered dismally. "And the record of the spells and chants were taken back with the vampire killers when they left the country. That was the end of it—Mother was now officially sealed away from the world, trapped inside the jar for all eternity. In other words, She was dead to us now… forevermore, dead to us." Samira fiddled with her hair a bit, taking some time to look at the way it shimmered under the light of the nearby fire pits that were still alit. "It was a terrible thing for the two of us. I remember you crying for hours with our head on my shoulder, bawling your eyes out at Mother being gone. You were eleven summers old at the time, so you understood the concept of death quite well. And as I recall, you didn't take to Mother's death very well at all.

"But, there was hardly any time to grieve about it—the High Priests now knew of our heritage, and what potential we had as vampires in our older years. They saw our Mother's powers and form as something created by the god Zorc—a tell-tale sign of evil to come. Uncle suggested that we also be sealed away, or perhaps have our vampire sides exorcised from our bodies like they do for criminals with their ka… but Siamun was the wisest among the priests at that time and he did not agree with Uncle at all. For Father's sake he didn't want to have us killed, and they were not sure if exorcising the vampire from us would work, for the results might be catastrophic as they had not dealt with this before. The vampire killers had already left, seeing as they had been paid handsomely for their services… the High Priests were unsure of what to do until Siamun had himself an idea that I overheard while eavesdropping on them from time to time.

"He thought that if we did not know of our heritage, that if we were unaware of Mother being a vampire and ourselves as half-breeds, than maybe we would not have the desire to change—that if we didn't know what we were and what had really happened, then perhaps our vampire selves would remain dormant within us, never to be aroused. Obviously they had no idea that I had already been changed, and I had no intention of telling them—if they knew about that then I might as well have committed suicide right then and there. But in the mean time, I knew now of their plans… but I also had no way to go about stopping them.

"They took you away first, to a room in the more deserted parts of the palace. You were gone for several hours… you didn't come back until nightfall, and when I saw you walk by me it was as if you were in a trance or something. The next day I asked you if you still remembered Mother, and your response to me was that Mother had died a long time ago, and that you were too young to remember… you acted as if you barely knew Her. The priests had erased your memory of Mother, replacing those memories with others that they fabricated. I tried to convince you otherwise, but you didn't believe a word I said—you said that I was being silly, trying to tell such crazy stories like that.

"But I knew the truth, and I refused to let them take that away from me. I couldn't let myself forget about Mother, when She needed to be avenged for the wrongs done against Her… I wanted revenge against Uncle for what he did to Mother.

"But I would have to wait until I was strong enough to do so without a chance of losing to him. And for that, I needed to keep my memories; so when the priests took me to the same room in the back of the palace, and started their work upon me, I used some of my mental powers to shield myself against their attempts—it was a thin shield, so they would not sense it. I played along with their spell, trying my best to act as if they were succeeding. I managed to fool them, apparently, because they then sent me back to my room with relieved smiles on their faces—ones that I knew I would take away once I was old enough to do so."

Samira sighed again. "The summers went by, and time went on. I reached my sixteenth summer when you did your fourteenth… both of us were growing up very quickly. You were no longer the little boy who gambled in the bazaars like you once did—now you were becoming more like Father, as a strong and quick-thinking leader. And I knew how much Mother's resemblance ran through my veins as I grew older—every time I looked in a mirror, I could see my reflection becoming more and more foggy, as my powers started to grow stronger. But even with my reflection misty, I could see Mother's eyes look back at me—my eyes were Her eyes too. Of that I had inherited very well…. Father thought so too, I think, because I began to see less and less of him with the summers gone past. With my growing powers I began to have telepathy, and with it, I could sense Father's feelings when he looked upon me.

"He looked at me and thought of Mother… the sight of me seemed to depress him, as my presence brought back memories of his only love. He began to care for you a lot more, as you would be the future king of Egypt one day—he played with you, taught you things while I was left to the company of my waiting ladies, who I could tell were a little frightened of my presence. I knew when he found out about the Millennium Items, and the dark powers that they held… I remember when he took you away for a while, and I had not an idea why he had done so until he returned with you a few hours later. In reading his mind I saw that he had pleaded with the Gods to let him take all the sin that he had received from creating such dark items of shadow magic, and for falling in love with a demon. He wanted you to be free of the mistakes that he had made—he wanted you to have a clean slate when you took over as king."

Atemu was silent as he listened, remembering when the late Pharaoh had taken him to a dark cave where he got down on his knees and prayed to the Gods that Atemu would not suffer a dark fate because of what he had done, in using the Millennium Items. At that time Atemu had been but a frightened teen who had no idea what was going on… now he understood why his father had done that, in more ways than the obvious.

Samira continued wistfully. "I was a bit upset that he hadn't taken me as well. Did I not count in terms of the sin he created? Surely he knew that since I was the eldest, _I_ would be first to the throne, with you as my husband and ruler in marriage." When Samira saw Atemu inwardly cringe at her words, she snickered lightly. "Atemu, it wasn't at all like that. I know that living in the modern world for so long has tampered with your view on many subjects, but I'm sure you know that in Egypt it was not uncommon for close family relatives, even siblings, to be married and placed on the throne to rule. We were both considered holy beings—it would seem unjust not to continue such a bloodline. But enough of that—what matters is that I would be old enough to take the throne sooner or later, and for him to not even let me be purged of his sins with you! I understood that since you were his son you would be given more attention, more appreciation and concern, but if I were to rule beside you then … I know that there were no sins to really be purged of, but it was the thought that really counted here.

"And it was obvious that he thought more of you than of I… even if this was the way it was supposed to be, I never liked that opinion very much in the first place. Neither had Mother, but She wasn't around to justify me….

"I'm sure you remember what comes next, right Atemu?" Samira asked. "Having Father remove you of his misdeeds, it was soon after that he died. You were very upset when it happened, and Siamun then took to a fatherly duty in order to comfort you and get you through his death. The rest of the priesthood—except Uncle, of course—looked after you, making sure you were well… but I was left alone. I was old enough to take such a loss, apparently, and that suited me fine—at this point I had grown used to being thrown aside as I had been since Mother's absence, and this only made me harder, only made me stronger. I didn't have to rely on anyone—not anymore. So when you cried with Siamun beside you, I disappeared into the shadows, going out to hunt just to let out my pent-up frustration.

"With Father gone it was now my turn to become Queen of Egypt—I was of age and mature enough to take the role, so I was to be crowned as soon as possible. And even though you were younger than I by two summers, you were also to be crowned as the new Pharaoh, with me as your wife. I was willing to accept the role—with Egypt in the palm of my hand I thought that perhaps I could fulfill Mother's dream, the one She had before Her untimely demise. But things didn't go as I had hoped they would.

"One night, while I was roaming the palace trying to find a servant who could quench my thirst I came across Uncle and some of his men in one of the storage rooms. I hid in the darkness, listening as they whispered things to each other that sounded suspicious. Turned out as I eavesdropped on their conversation that my suspicions were correct—Uncle was planning to assassinate me, and he was enlisting the help of some of his henchmen. I felt so enraged by Uncle's actions—I knew he had wanted the throne, but to resort to killing me? After he already had Mother killed, it figured that he wanted me out of the way too; but, then as he continued to plot with his men he mentioned Mother… and he called Her a lowly demonic _bitch_ who was as _insignificant_ as the _dirt_ beneath his _slippers_! My anger was cemented then, for how **dare** he call Mother something that **vile**!" Samira was seething, her hands gripping the armrests with enough strength to have the edges crumble to pieces—her eyes held a wicked malice as she said, "I knew then that it was **him** who I would kill… for Mother's sake, I would destroy him and make him suffer for all he had done to my family!

"In my rage I acted foolishly where I shouldn't have, as I had slipped behind one of Uncle's henchmen and grabbed him, startling them all. I threatened to kill that man if Uncle didn't take back when he said about Mother, and when Uncle decided to ignore my warnings, I used my powers to break the urns that surrounded us in the storage room. The other men ran out of the room in fright, but Uncle stayed—he told me that he knew I was still a demon of Zorc, and he would never let one of my kind become the ruler of Egypt. I became so infuriated with him that I let go of my hostage and went forward to kill him, my resentment getting the best of my rational thought as I didn't take into account his own powers being stronger than my own. He sent me flying into a wall, injuring me slightly but it was nothing I couldn't handle physically… however, it knocked me back to my senses, and I knew that what I had just done now would be my greatest downfall. Uncle now knew the truth and had witnesses to back him up—with knowledge of me being a vampire well-known, I doubted that anyone would back me up in any way. Father was dead, and you were under the thumb of the High Priests so there was no one to protect me… so, with my secret known to everyone, I did the only thing I could do… and that was to run away.

"I escaped the palace as quickly as I could, changing into a full form that I learned to conjure after Mother has changed me. It gave me wings, ones that I used to fly over the city as I soared towards the desert. It was the very first time I had ever been away from the palace, and I assumed that it would be my last as well. I flew on and on for hours under the light of the full moon, by then knowing that the other High Priests had probably discovered my identity thanks to Uncle, and were most likely doing something to you so that you would not remember me as they did for Mother's memory. I knew they had you under their thumb quite well—even if you were smart and strong for your age, you were still at their mercy in your youth, and they took that to their advantage in hopes of keeping you from turning as I had. I knew they didn't want my memory to affect you in any way, in case it also made you rebellious to them like I was.

"I only hoped that Uncle didn't try to kill you as well… even if I had been jealous of the way Mother seemed to love you more, I still cared about you, not wanting you to face a fate that you didn't even know existed. I hoped that maybe, when I was stronger and far more powerful, I could return one day and take control of Egypt as I should have… but that was dream for the future, because I was now far from the palace and out in the wilderness of Egypt.

"And it was really a shift for me—I was so used to being taken care of by servants and being privileged by society because of my birthrights that being out on my own in the desert as a vagabond was truly a change. Though, being a vampire helped as I didn't need any money for food—I just had to find a passerby and drink till I was satisfied. I took up a more nocturnal lifestyle, choosing to be awake in the nights and early mornings as I slept in alleys during the afternoons. My clothes became ragged and dirty, my hair unruly… but with my mental powers increasing, I could choose to change the way I look to any illusion, whether it be my hair or clothes or my eyes. I became a wanderer, traveling from village to village in hopes of one day finding myself to be as strong as I need to be. After a while I just became lost… I drifted to many villages, past many deserts in Egypt, searching for something that even I didn't know of. I became just a normal nomad, going where the wind told me to go without many thoughts except where I could get my next meal and if the next village was up ahead. I lost my purpose a little…until I came to a village that appeared completely deserted.

"It was as dead as I felt inside, that village. There was no one around, and no noises could be heard except the wind… it was as if the place had been abandoned years ago, left to the desert to take care of.

"A bad move for me—I had been flying for half the day, walking the rest as I had only had my last meal in a village that I knew was too far away for me to go back to now. I was too weak to summon my wings, so I was left to see if I could find an animal or something else that had taken residence in the place. There were none that I could find, though, and my search seemed to be ending in desperation… I had needed blood, and if I couldn't find any soon I would surely starve to death. Too weak to go to another village, things seemed a little hopeless for me….

"But that's when I found _him_….

"… Akefia, the King of Thieves."

---

Author's Note: _Sorry I had to cut you off there, guys—I couldn't bear to write another 9000 word chapter like last time (I would so have to saw my hands off after that… oh the pain!). I think it would be best to leave the whole thing with Akefia for next time._

_So, you like it? Hate it? Just wanna say hi? Remember, you can do all that and more with just a click of a small little button… the review button. To those who have been reviewing me, I love you all SO much… I reward all of my recent reviewers (as in the last few chapters not just this one) with Atemu plushies… with FANGS! Yes, they come with fangs and foldable devil wings on his back! Enjoy!_

(_If you would like a virtual plushy as well, then please review. They're free!_ :D )


	63. A Fateful Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Okay, chapter three of explaining is now upon us!_

_Thanks go out to:_

**Maridel, feyannabellee, ANZU&ATEMU FAN, spiritfire, Gaibomaster XP, Elfbrat18, the CAPTAIN Hikari Paladin, Isis the Sphinx, inuyashagirl22, Atem's Only Love, LadyLuck22, **_and _**SeleneXAngel**

_Let's keep on chugging! WOO!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 63: A Fateful Meeting…**

"And you didn't know who she was?"

Anzu was completely enthralled by Bakura's story, listening as the jeep now rode at a steady pace over the sand dunes. The sun was a blood-red disk that was more than halfway below the horizon, wavering with the heat as the sky turned into a light indigo with the sun's receding. The brightest stars were now slightly visible in the sky, and the air took on a chill that gave Anzu goose bumps—it was at times like this that she wished the jeep had a roof and some heat, despite the fact that it was in a desert.

But that wasn't the only thing that was giving her chills at the moment. After Bakura admitted that he actually had feelings, and that those feelings were for Samira, he had started the vehicle again as he said there was no need for him to not talk and drive at the same time. With the same casualness as ever, the Thief King explained that Samira was a vampire, related to Atemu, and that he was a half-breed vampire too.

All in about five minutes.

Anzu wondered if this really was real or if she had stepped into some chaotic dream world and had no idea she wasn't awake. Reality had been pulled right out from under her—everything she ever knew to be true became as thin as paper as the truth was beaten into the ground by a sledge hammer. It was bad enough knowing that she had mindless killers still coming to put her six feet under… now she knew that Atemu had a sister and she was the embodiment of pure evil! And to make things worse, they were vampires… at that point Anzu wanted to just laugh and ask Bakura if he was just pulling her leg with _that_ one.

But the look of seriousness in Bakura's russet brown stare was enough for Anzu's nervous giggle to be swallowed right back down again. This was definitely no dream, despite what she would have hoped. Now she worried about Atemu, as he could be at Samira's palace by now… was she telling him the exact same story that Bakura had briefly told to her? It would all be from Samira's point of view too… she would have every detail, whereas Bakura only knew as much as Samira had told him. Still, the fact remained that Anzu was stunned by the Tomb Robber's words and _she_ wasn't even the one with the sister or hidden past! All she wanted to know now was if Atemu was taking this well or not.

Bakura, who was now just staring out in front of him with both hands firmly grasping the steering wheel, nodded faintly to her question. "Of course I knew it to be Samira! After all, I had always thought of assassinating one of the royal family before, or maybe even kidnapping the queen so as to extract my revenge upon the Pharaoh for what he had done to my village."

"But, you do know now that the Pharaoh was not responsible for that… right, Bakura?" Anzu asked, trying not to aggravate him too much. So far he had been relatively respectful, but she realized early on that Bakura did not like to have too many questions asked of him—he preferred that she would be quiet, and _stay _quiet through his story.

"Hmph! As if I care!" Bakura responded harshly. "The point was that even if that slime Akunadin was the one who did what he did to Kul Elna, the Pharaoh had done nothing to stop him, nor did he do anything for my village after the fact. He was a fool for not realizing that the Items were of a dark magic… one that normal humans should not have played around with in the first place." Zorc had convinced Bakura that it was the Pharaoh who was to blame, but that was because Zorc was using him as a pawn in his twisted game to take over the world. Now he had a clear conscious, free of Zorc and his manipulative voice that sent Bakura into a rage against the Pharaoh. He knew now of his misunderstandings, but being the Thief King he had too much pride to go back on all the terrible things he had once said—if he acted angry about something that he realized wasn't the truth, he certainly wasn't going to go back and apologize now.

Just as he refused to apologize to Samira for what had occurred between them in the past… he felt no remorse for their relationship, if he could call it that now. Fleeting passion, and undone lies were something that could send a love into the depths of defeat… theirs happened to fall in a rather pretty tail spin as it were, smashing into the ground like frail pottery that shatters upon impact.

Yet why did his mind replay the scenes of when they first met, showing him how their meeting blossomed into something of deep understanding, of darkness connection between eyes of lilac and crimson? Why did his heart continue to flutter so uncharacteristically when he reminisced about her worn expression and heavy-lidded stare, when he should have pushed such thoughts aside so long ago?

He could only let the memories play like on a video tape… to refuse them made them only come up harder and stronger, as his heart pulsed with the thoughts of their very first encounter….

---

_She had been walking down the empty street, straight towards him as if she could not even see him. He had stood where he was, staring at her curiously as she continued to trudge her way towards him, down the deserted main road of Kul Elna._

_Where had this girl come from? Akefia had never seen anyone go through Kul Elna before, since most of the nomads that traveled through the desert tended to avoid the cursed village as much as possible, saying that it was haunted by the spirits of the ones massacred there. Akefia was the only one who dared to walk amongst the empty buildings, who was brave enough to go in them and live within the walls that, if they could speak, would tell of how the innocent people of this village were dragged from their homes to their untimely doom—but that was because he had been the only one to survive._

_The only one to escape the mass murder of the village of Kul Elna._

_He never slept anywhere else, seeing as it was still his home—he wished it was like it once was, where when he went to sleep he would hear the noises of the tired village instead of the terrified screams he heard now. Every night as he tried to find rest, he could not, instead finding the agonizing cries of his loved ones and friends perishing as their forms were melted into golden items. The Millennium Items that were used by the Pharaoh and his High Priests._

_Akefia felt his anger rise at the thought of the great Pharaoh… the one who murdered all the ones he ever cared for and placed their spirits in talismans, one of which he wore around his own neck. His eyes burned of an unholy desire to slaughter the man for what he had done to him… for taking away all he ever had in life… for making him the thing that he was now. _

_Akefia had been resorted to stealing to survive… first from the tombs of the dead, till he was skilled enough at just stealing food from the bazaars without needing to steal gold funerary jewelry in order to pay for it. This had been his way of life since the massacre, which was when he was a small youth of maybe seven or eight summers—now he was of eighteen summers, a man for the most part, and he had his heart set on his one goal in life… the one thing that he now lived for. _

_Getting revenge—he would make the Pharaoh and his priests pay for what they had done to him… for making his life the way it was, with him a thief and his people dead. With his skills and daring he was now considered the "King" of Thieves… a tomb robber who all thieves feared and followed in troops. It was strange enough for him just to have followers, considering that he had been alone for most of his life… but it was no matter. With all of the men he had behind him he would soon be ready to take on the great Pharaoh… to bring him to his knees so that he could behead him for the no good royal prick that he was. That was the moment that Akefia lived for each and everyday._

_But today was a different sort of day… a day meant for surprises, obviously, as he watched this strange girl come closer to him, their eyes now catching as she gazed upon him with a dazed stare. At first he thought her another prostitute from one of the neighboring villages, probably dumped in the desert by a client who promised to take her away from her brothel and give her a good home. She seemed very attractive from a distance, so it was an option for her, but as the girl edged closer and their eyes met he felt his heart stop in surprise—this was no ordinary girl who stood before him, but instead the princess of Egypt, the sister of the Pharaoh!_

_The Pharaoh whom he promised to kill… the Pharaoh who he wanted to see suffer at his hands…._

_Akefia had grinned maliciously at the thought—he couldn't have asked for better, to have the future Queen of Egypt just waltz her way onto his territory, to just appear in his village looking as if she had been traveling as a vagabond for days, maybe even weeks. He could see it from the tattered rags that were her clothes, and the way she swayed a little as she walked, trudging up to him ever so determined. He could see the hazy look in her eyes—this woman had not seen food or water in what he could verify as perhaps two days, and she had been traveling through the desert for that long as well. In a way, he almost felt a little sympathy for her…._

_But not enough to make him care. Nothing could make him feel caring anymore. _

_His thoughts had raced with questions and possibilities… why was the princess here in Kul Elna? None of the royal family would ever appear in his village, let alone all by themselves and looking the way she had. But he had to think of those things another time—right now, he knew that if he captured her then he could use her for ransom again the Pharaoh, perhaps even lure him out so that he could kill him in the process. He tried to wonder why the princess of the country would even be wandering about in the heat of day like this… what kind of idiot would be so foolish? But, that didn't matter—the whole situation benefited him anyways, for if he was the one seeing things and it really wasn't the princess then perhaps he would have a toy for a little while… something he could torture while he was bored._

_He had approached her, emerging from the shadow of the buildings as he came closer to the woman, who was now hobbling over to him with much eagerness. Akefia was surprised at her willingness… didn't she realize that as a princess she was a vulnerable target to people like him? Did Ra boil her brains to nothing in this heat? Nevertheless, with her only a few feet away from him he knew now that she was too weak to escape his grasp, and would easily fall into his arms… he wondered what it would feel like to touch a royal palace brat. Would it feel any different from a regular human? Or would he be able to feel their condescending attitude flowing off of them like waves? _

_In front of him the princess reached out a little—she was looking at him with the biggest garnet eyes he had ever seen. They sparkled like rubies, like blood-orbs in Ra's light as he heard her panting a little, as she looked from his face to his neck, then back again. He listened as she made a slight coughing sound, as if trying to speak._

_Akefia smirked, amused by how weak and frail she appeared. He watched her as she tried to say something, but it only came out in sputters that spoke of her parched throat. He then reached out with his own hand, his fingers under her chin as he lifted up her head so that she looked directly into his own laughing eyes._

"_You know…" he said, his voice rough but sultry, "someone like you shouldn't be walking through abandoned villages all by yourself. After all, someone like me could abduct you… and I don't think you would like that very much." _

_That was his intention, and he just felt too over-confident not to boast it. Seriously, what was a person with as high a status as hers doing in a raggedy old village like his? He knew now as he had her up close that she was definitely the Pharaoh's elder sister, as he had studied his family closely in order to plan his ultimate revenge upon him. And with her so close to him, literally in his grasp, he could just take her now and the Pharaoh would be at his mercy…._

_The princess, who had been just watching him absently the whole time, took in a deep, worn out breath… before smiling devilishly back at him. He was unsure of what that meant, because then her hand suddenly crept up the left side of his face as her right hand wrapped itself around his waist. He was startled, but even more so when she brought herself up to his ear and whispered softly, in a voice that sounded like sweet poisoned nectar:_

"_Actually, I would like it, if you took me away…**very** much… but perhaps it is **you** who shouldn't be walking by yourself." Akefia prepared himself to react, hoping to grab this girl and pull her off him as soon as possible. Who the hell did she think she was, to talk to the King of Thieves like that? But as soon as he thought to escape her hold she grabbed his hair in her right hand, pulling his neck to the side so that she bit into his tanned flesh._

_Akefia groaned, trying to pull her off of him but feeling his will becoming weaker. Now he wanted to know what kind of foul trap had he fallen into—this couldn't be the princess of Egypt, to be biting him the way she was. He could feel his head becoming lighter, as his blood was slowly being drained… what was she doing? Was she **drinking** his blood? Akefia was starting to get aggravated. He was being attacked by a demon, someone posing as the princess, perhaps… a nasty trick, to catch him like this._

_She was feeding hungrily off of him, and though he attempted to pull away for some reason he was glued to where he was, allowing her to sap him of his life force reluctantly. Whatever she had done to him it kept him in place, no matter how much he struggled—and as the moments passed, she absorbed more and more of his blood… Akefia felt dizzy, his vision coming in and out as he tried to push her away…._

"_What… the hell…" he gasped between winces of slight pain as she gnawed deep into his neck, "… are you… doing?" _

_He heard her purring in delight as she knocked him to the ground, and then everything blacked out…._

---

"I was too hungry to care if I drank too much of his blood" Samira said as she persisted in weaving her story. "When he tried to capture me I took him by surprise and fed off of him in haste… he looked very tasty for a human, which it turned out he was. When I finished with him I dropped him, and I guess I had taken so much blood that he was knocked unconscious… it was unintentional, what can I say?

"So, being the nice person I am, I didn't want to leave him out there to die… I just didn't have the heart to let him see death just yet—I dragged him into one of the buildings nearby us, and put him on a cot that I found there. In drinking his blood I entered his mind, and I discovered that this man was Akefia, the great King of Thieves that I had heard so much about from the other villagers. Apparently he was known for his skill in raiding tombs and avoiding every trap known to man… and he was a user of incredibly dark magic.

"I saw that he was a servant of the god Zorc, which was a displeasing factor, if I must say. Zorc is a God of pure evil… not something we vampires associate with. We were smart enough to know that Zorc wanted the world to fall to complete and total darkness, and that would mean destroying vampires as well as humans. We were not fools to his manipulation, either.

"But, I saw something in this Akefia… I saw how much he grieved for his lost family and friends, and how he wanted revenge against the Pharaoh and his High Priests for turning them into the Millennium Items. How strange it was, that we had something in common… maybe that's what kept me from drinking him dry and leaving him to the buzzards. In him, I saw the same lust for revenge that I had obtained, and how we were both determined to avenge the ones we loved. It almost made me pity him, to have such a tragic life like mine…but only almost, as I had learned to become hard and unforgiving when I needed to be.

"He woke up soon afterwards, though, once he had recovered enough of his strength to return to consciousness. And I guess you could say we hit it off _very_ well…."

---

_Samira sat on a chair beside the cot where her last victim was still recovering. They were in a small room, one with a huge window that was at Samira's back, letting the sunlight enter and fall over her like a blanket. It was only about ten minutes after she had fed off of him, a bit of his blood still staining her lips as she smiled at his sleeping form. He was a strong one, this King of Thieves… strong enough that his blood nourished her to full health. She felt excellent—full of energy and vibrant life. And she had fate to thank for their encounter._

_She watched him as he_ _started to groan a bit, his eyelids scrunching as he was obviously coming back to his senses. Suddenly, the man she now knew to be Akefia bolted upright, his lilac eyes wide as he took in a sharp inhale. She saw him look about the room, his eyes searching until he saw her sitting near his make-shift bed—his eyes narrowed as he attempted to stand up._

"_You!" he seethed, remembering who she was: the strange demonic creature that had attacked him so suddenly before, when it was supposed to be **him** who was performing the assault! He was ready to launch himself at her to attack her, but he was still too weak to make any effort upon moving—he grabbed his head as he started to feel faint, his vision swimming in and out of focus as he sat back down on the cot, grunting as he bit back the feeling of wooziness. He heard the woman who attacked him earlier chuckle lightly, and he growled at being laughed at... it wasn't something he took kindly to._

"_You should be careful… you still have yet to get back to full health" the woman warned from her spot on the chair, as Akefia ran his fingers through his snow-white locks, cut short at his shoulders so as not to be such a hassle when he washed himself. His hand then drifted down to the nape of his neck, and then to the side… the side where she had bitten him with fangs that felt sharper than any needle… like an animal's teeth. He felt his skin, sore and enflamed, and with it two puncture marks were present. His callous fingers ran over them, and he winced at their tenderness._

_He gazed up at the woman, at a silhouette with crimson eyes that bore directly into his—he glared back at them. Then he noticed in the darkness that she still appeared as the princess of Egypt, just as she had when she lured him to her…._

"_You know, you can remove that illusion of yours, creature" he said flatly. "You may have fooled me once with your disguise, but now it is simply a nuisance to stare at."_

_Samira's eyes widened a little in mock surprise. "Oh? And what illusion is that, Thief King?"_

_He was going to answer her question when he realized how she had addressed him. "Hey, how do you know who I am?" Then a thought came to him. "Have you been hunting me? Are you working for the Pharaoh?" He spat the last statement threateningly, his anger now rising. He had never thought of that… perhaps his reputation had gotten around more than he thought, and now the Pharaoh desired his head for the royal tombs he robbed on occasion. He wouldn't have been too galvanized, but to send a demon woman like herself as the princess? He would have to hand it to the royal palace brat for coming up with something that ingenious, when he handed him his death sentence._

_As Akefia stared at the woman suspiciously, she merely snickered in amusement. "Oh Ra, what gave you that idea?" she inquired. "If I was working for the Pharaoh to kill you, then know this: **you would already be dead**." Samira eyed him, waiting for a response. What she received was a huff of disbelief._

"_Keh! I highly doubt that, demon creature" he said. "You know of my title, so you must know of my reputation. As the **King** of Thieves, I am no one that you should take so lightly… I could kill you where you sit, if I wanted to."_

_Samira cocked an eyebrow. This had certainly become an interesting conversation. "Well then, show me. Kill me now to prove your words true, oh Thief King." She waited for him to move, to fulfill his words—where another person should have felt fear Samira felt nothing but enjoyment. After all, such lively human contact had been lost to her over the last few years… and this one was becoming very fun to watch._

_Akefia growled, knowing that he could not kill her—not in the state that he was in. With his present luck she would most likely just dodge him and go for his neck again, draining him of the last of his energy. He sighed a little, brushing some of his unruly hair out of his face._

_Samira grinned, showing off her very sharp teeth—the ones that had graced his skin only moments before. "Well? I'm waiting, oh Thief King for you to do as you said you would. I thought you wanted to kill me… or are you too scared to?" Now Akefia wished he was well, as he would have grabbed her by her neck for such taunting. No one ever called the Thief King scared… not unless they had a death wish._

_Instead he just bared his teeth a little in warning. "Oh, I will… but you still have not done as I have asked. Remove your illusion so that I may see your true face, and not the one of the future Queen of Egypt for which you wear." He watched as the corners of Samira's lips curved into an even more delighted smirk, for which made him feel like he was just a toy in some cruel joke. What in Ra's name was she smiling about?_

_Then she began to giggle. "Oh, this is so amusing! You actually think that this is not my true face?" Her giggling continued, as she was tickled by his theories. "Ah, foolish Thief King, you haven't a clue of the reality you bear witness to. This **is** my true face… for I am Samira, daughter of the late Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen and sister of Prince Atemu, now the future king of Egypt. That is the person who sits before you now." Crossing one leg over the other, she watched him carefully. It was always a pleasant shock to most peasants to discover who they were really talking to, and for him to think her an illusion—oh how priceless this encounter had become!_

_To her surprise Akefia just smirked right back at her. "Heh, heh… you speak of foolishness, creature. I'm not stupid enough to believe that you are the future queen! For what kind of future ruler would roam about a deserted village decimated by their own means, and what kind of ruler would drink the blood of another human? It is simply unheard of… though it was a pleasant gist, I'll admit."_

"_So, you do not believe me?"_

_Akefia laughed mockingly. "Of course not, woman! Why would I be so gullible? Now, remove your illusions, so that I may look upon your true face when I kill you for your strange attack on me."_

_Samira eyed him, her enjoyment spiked. "Thief King… do you truly wish to see my real face?"_

_Akefia's left eyebrow rose a little in both thought and annoyance. "Yes! That is what I have been asking of you! Now do as I command, woman!"_

_Samira sighed a little at his aggravation, at his non-compliance to believe. What would it take for him to see that she really meant what she said? Though, perhaps it was best to leave her identity in secret—why did she want him to believe her to be the princess anyways?_

_Maybe it was what she saw in his memories that made her want him to see. The fact that he was just like her, the fact that they both had something to fight for against the kingdom… perhaps this man would have more use for her after all, if she played her cards right._

"_Well then…" she said, as she arose from her seat and stood looming over him. With him still at a loss for blood he felt a little too light-headed to stand up, knowing that if he could he would tower over her by about half a foot—but that was not his only concern, as he suddenly noticed that her body was beginning to take on a different shape._

_Because of the sunlight shining behind her, he could not see exactly what was happening—he did know, however, that this new shape was something he wished he had not seen. As wings sprouted from her back and her body was cloaked in cool, slithering shadows he felt his panic rise a little, his eyes widening in shock._

_What kind of creature was this? At first he thought her to perhaps be a woman with strange powers of a dark magical sort, but upon seeing this he knew that to be false. For as the wings stretched out to their full span and her eyes glowed all red, he felt the mist of the shadows surround them…the callings of the Shadow Realm. The summoning of a darker power… one that made him realize the gravity of her strength, of the force that he was now reckoning with._

_What had he gotten himself into? He understood now what a fool he was being, to voice his prowess before this dark creature when in truth he was too weak to even protect himself. His pride had kept his mouth running when he should have kept it shut… probably the lack of blood to his head made him a little over zealous, making him unable to see beyond the fact that he was the King of Thieves._

_Because…what could a king do against a more powerful adversary, a demon? _

_He knew now that if she wanted to, she could tear him apart, piece by piece… and he was too weak to fight her off just yet. _

_All he could really do was wait for the attack…._

---

Anzu sat on the edge of the car seat, completely captivated.

"So did she attack you?" she asked in a hushed voice, as Bakura had paused in his telling of the tale for the obvious suspense of it. With his long locks of ashen hair flying behind him in the swift nocturnal wind, Bakura's russet eyes flashed a little under the light of the full moon—the only light on them as the sun was nearly submerged beneath the surface of the horizon line.

"Would I be talking to you right now if she had?" he asked in an annoyed voice—the same bite in it as he had five thousand years before. Anzu silenced herself to allow him to continue uninterrupted. "No, she didn't attack me—all she had wanted to do was show me her true form, her full vampire form in all it's demonic appearance. She took back to being in a more human state after that, since she was only in the other form for only a few moments."

Anzu gazed over at Bakura, her azure eyes twinkling in the early evening starlight as she brushed some of her chestnut hair from her face. "But then what? What did you guys do after that?"

"Well, I was too weak to keep my promise to kill her, so she said she would look after me until I recovered. I thought this to be peculiar—I mean, what kind of demon helps out a human for no reason other than to feast on me later when I was well? But I really had no choice—if I tried to run she would catch me in an instant if she wanted to… _if_ being the key word here. She could just let me go to wander about my village with enough blood loss to have me go unconscious again in the heat of day. And I wasn't stupid… arrogant, but not stupid."

"Alright, but what did you do while you were recovering? Just talk to her or something?"

Though Anzu couldn't see it Bakura's lips curled into a half smile at that thought—the poor girl didn't realize how unfortunately right she was.

---

"_So what are you?" Akefia asked as he sat up on the cot, nursing the previous neck wound with some cloth he found lying around and some water that he told Samira to get after she showed him her true form. "You can't possibly be human…."_

"_You're correct on that—I am not a human" Samira answered as she handed him a refilled jug of water from a stash that Akefia kept in his underground lair not too far away from where they were now. He had told where she could find it so that she could bring him something to drink. She sat down in the chair she had been in before as Akefia drank with vigor from the pottery. "But you would be unfamiliar with my kind anyways—we are not of Egyptian descent, us vampires."_

"_Vampires…" Akefia repeated, trying out the word on his tongue. It did sound funny—a foreign word indeed. He took another swig from the pitcher, before wiping his mouth of the excess with the sleeve of his red robe. "So, you are not from around there, then?"_

"_I told you already, Thief King—I am the princess of Egypt." Akefia just snorted lightly in response._

"_Still won't give up that lie, eh?" he said, a grin amongst his chiseled features now instead of the scowl he usually wore. "But you contradict yourself. You said that… vampires… are not from around these parts. How can you be the future queen of this wretched kingdom if your kind are foreigners?"_

"_My mother—the previous queen—was the one who came from a different country. I was born here as the princess, which is what I am. I do not lie to you, Thief King."_

"_I doubt that." He took another hefty gulp of the cool water that Samira brought to him, which left him with little more than a sip left. He frowned at it as he swished it around in the clay jug, listening to the empty noise it made. "Why would I believe that? There is no way that the princess, who must be related to that royal prick of a Pharaoh, to be something other than human. There is no plausible way for that to occur… don't you understand that?" He gazed over at Samira, and Samira sighed, obviously feeling defeated._

"_Fine—if that is what you would care to believe, than you may. There's no sense in arguing with a stone wall, I suppose." She flipped back some of her shadowy hair, the blood-red tipped ends gracing her past the shoulders as she brushed some of it back. "But, maybe one day you will see that I speak the truth. Then you may admit to me that you were wrong."_

"_When Ra does not rise into the heavens, you mean" Akefia said. He gestured to his empty water jug, and without any words between them Samira arose from her chair and took the clay pitcher with her as she exited the room back towards the underground room where Akefia kept many of the things he stole, such as food, water, and gold trinkets. He watched her until she was completely out of sight, and once she was he flopped himself back down on his cot, feeling the rush of blood to his head that made him close his eyes to stop the dizziness._

_This was certainly a strange predicament that he was in—that demon, that… vampire… woman, could have killed him off in the other form that she was in. He had seen it in her eyes when they glowed the shade of ruby—they had the desire to kill, and they could if they wanted to, with just a look. Her wings had been nearly the size of the room, and there were talons that came from her fingers… she could have swiped at him, torn him into little bleeding pieces of flesh… and yet she didn't. She chose to keep him alive, as well as help him out._

_He shook his head as he tried to decipher what this was. Why was this woman disguised as the princess of Egypt, when he knew that such a person would **never** come here if they wanted to stay alive? She already knew who he was… maybe she knew that he had wanted to kidnap the royal family as well. Was that what she thought when she used that particular guise to lure him to her? Did she want something from him to do something so planned out like that? _

_Or maybe she was telling the truth—maybe she really was the princess, and he just couldn't bring himself to believe that he had the woman in his grasp. Or the fact that she was a dark being with shadow powers. Either way, he didn't want to have to face such a demonic creature again, even at full strength—she had not attacked him then but if she did, he was sure that it would not be a session he would enjoy. _

_He decided finally that he would wait and ask her of these questions later. After all, she didn't seem to want to harm him. She had been desperate for food, so she fed off of him to survive. That pissed him off, as he was never keen on sharing anything with anyone, when he knew that like him they could take everything away and leave him with nothing in return—hospitality was a bitch in that sense. But she **stole** his life force from him… she was just like a thief, in a matter of speaking, with her stealing blood from him like that. It made him smirk—perhaps this thing would be a useful ally, if he could just convince her of a partnership or something…._

_Though, the fact that she was showing him kindness always meant one thing: she wanted something from him. After all, no one just helps another person out of the kindness of their hearts anymore… it is always at a price. So what did this creature want? Did she need him to steal something for him, or maybe kill someone for her?_

_His head swam lucidly with all the possibilities…but, then he rested his thoughts as he saw her return with the jug full of water again. He carefully sat upright, now knowing that going to fast would cause him to feel dizzy again, as he gripped the pitcher to let the water run to his lips in an endless flow. He had been careless, as some of the water splash out of the jug and onto him, but what did that matter? He could deal with being wet—it was always better than the arid weather that ruled over the desert as it did._

_Seeing Samira sit back down in her chair, he took another drink from the pitcher, before swallowing loudly as he wiped his mouth of the excess. He gazed at her sternly, and he saw her meet his gaze with one of equal curiosity._

"_Woman—"_

"_Call me Samira" the creature replied, interrupting him. He scowled, as he never liked it when anyone cut into his sentences like that—if he was saying something then it was usually important and he didn't care to lose his train of thought._

"_Alright, **Samira**… I need to know, why are you helping me?"_

"_Hmm?" she cocked an eyebrow, like a cat staring at a tempting ball of yarn, ready to play. "What, I can't just help someone when they are hurt by my means?"_

"_If you mean out of the goodness of your heart, then forget it. I don't take crap like that for a reason, because it's never true." He crossed his arms as he flung his legs over the side of his cot, as he attempted to stand on his own again. Samira watched him as he got to his feet, standing talllooming over her with a scowl on his face as he peered down at her with cold purple eyes. "Tell me the real reason. What is it that you want from me, that you're acting so generous when you could have killed me?"_

_Samira stared up at him for a moment, before standing up herself, still a few inches shorter than him so she had to continue to look up to meet his gaze. _

"_Are you always this suspicious of people?" she asked mockingly, toying with him a bit with a coy smile. Akefia didn't even bother taking much notice to it though, as he would prefer to keep this clean and to the point—and being toyed with was not something he took pleasure in._

"_Yes, because people lie, steal, cheat and can destroy your entire life in a single night" he said flatly. "I am a thief… the King of Thieves! I know what it is like to lie to people and steal things away from them, so for me to act like the rest of the world is a nice place would be very ironic, if not ridiculous. What makes you think I can trust you as well?"_

_Samira gave him a thoughtful look, as if she were thinking over what he had just said. Then she said, "Well, maybe because you and I are not all that different. We both have dark desires in our hearts… and we both want revenge upon the royalty of Egypt—"_

"_What do **you** need revenge for?" he asked. "I thought you were the future queen… what kind of revenge would you have against your own family?"_

_Samira smirked. "Well, my brother is none of mine concern, really. But, I do hold anger against one member of my family, and that is my Uncle, the High Priest Akunadin." Samira's then playful gaze turned into one of hatred at the mention of the elderly man's name as she said it bitterly. "He is the one who revealed my mother's secret… he is the one who sent Her to Her death, to imprisonment in a little black jar! And he attempted to kill me as well! For that I will make him suffer, and for that, I actually…." She paused, and Akefia looked down at her with impatient eyes._

"_You actually what?" he snapped._

"_I… actually need your assistance."_

"_Ah, I **knew** you were helping me for some reason. Figures…."_

"_But that's not really it" Samira added, and Akefia just glanced back at her curiously. "I helped you because I felt bad for feeding off of you like that… normally I only take enough for myself and I leave, and the person I feed off of is left unharmed. That was what my mother taught of me… to only take what it is you need, and no more. There is no need to be greedy when it comes to life. But, I was so thirsty that I drank more from you than I should have, and because of it, I wanted to make sure you were alright before I headed off to the next village."_

_Akefia gave her an odd look—where did all that sympathy come from? Did he really just hear something **that** nice from this killer blood-sucking demon thing that almost sucked him dry? He snorted the thought away—not even his kind was that nice. "Ah, well that was very kind of you… but you said that you also needed my assistance. So tell me, what in Ra's name do you want from me? Not that I'll give you it…."_

_Samira let her teeth show in a teasing grin. "Well, I know who you are, oh Akefia the King of Thieves, and I also know that we are thinking on the same terms when it comes to… our revenge. My thoughts were that perhaps in becoming… partners, of a sort… together we may have a better chance at getting what we want. With our combined unity we could attack the palace and avenge those that need avenging… does that sound good so far?"_

_Akefia nodded, somewhat interested—teaming up with this demon, with the powers she possessed, may end up getting him exactly what he wanted—all seven Millennium Items, and to bind a contract with Zorc. However, he still did not truly trust her, but he trusted no one anyways so that made no real difference in the matter. However, something else was bothering him…._

"_What about the **Pharaoh**?" Akefia asked, spitting out the title as if he had said a foul word. "If you are the princess, then he is your brother… you do know that I wish to kill him, to smear the walls of his palace with his blood?"_

_Samira nodded, as if they were talking about the weather and not Akefia's masterfully gruesome day plans. "Oh, I understand… and frankly, I won't stop you if that is what you want." Akefia cocked an eyebrow, for what felt like the millionth time that day._

"_Really now?" he said, generally intrigued._

"_Yes—he may be my flesh and blood, but after being out here in the desert for so long, I've realized something: that all this time he has been stealing away the attention that I deserved equally so. I understand that I am a girl, and that he will always come first, but it is something that I cannot accept… something that I refuse to tolerate. He has no recollection of him having the same powers as I, and if I don't change him, then he never will. And I will be the ruler of my kind, creating a kingdom just for Mother… without my brother stealing it all away from me."_

_It was true, she realized—all this time she had been ignored or thought less of as she constantly tried to please Mother and make her proud… though she knew Mother had asked of her to change Atemu when he came of age (if he did not do it himself, since his vampire side might be so strong that it would just take over anyways) she really didn't have to. After all, with her brother not remembering any of his past or of Mother, he was no longer a threat to her power—she could become the Queen of the Vampires, without worrying about Atemu interfering. She would have power over him, where he once had it over her… finally she would get the power and position that she had worked hard to obtain, for oh so long. _

_Akefia listened to her explanation, liking the way that sounded. _

"_Alright" he responded absently. "I see that you want as much of this revenge as I do… and I see no other reason for why we should not be partners… except, for the fact that you could still be working for the Pharaoh and just be tricking me into helping you, so that you can turn me in for plotting against the king." He gave her a half-smiled, gazing down upon her maliciously. "So… how can you prove that you are not one of his sorcerers?"_

_Samira gazed up directly into his eyes—sparkling garnet met shaded lilac, both full of mockery and a list for power and privilege. Without warning she brought up her left hand, and it gently stroked his face, touching the scar that graced his skin so harshly._

"_How about… like this…" And then she reached up, placing her hand behind his head as she had her lips meet his in a sensual kiss. Her soft lips brushing up against his as she ran her fingers through his snow-white hair, enjoying the feel of it beneath her fingertips…._

_Akefia was surprised by this action—he hadn't been expecting to receive such a show of loyalty like this. But it's not like he was complaining—being a lone thief sometimes had its downsides, with one of them being the lack of relationships with people, including any potential wives. Sure, the women in the brothels were alright, but he never chose to spend his money there anyways—a waste of time, when he could be stealing precious funerary items out of a tomb somewhere instead. What he received now was perfectly free… and it was actually worth the lack of gold in payment._

_They continued this way until Samira broke it gently, her eyes meeting his like they had before. Her heavy-lidded gaze fell upon his as she smiled at him, looking at the expression of surprise and satisfaction on his face._

"_Well?" she asked. "How was that?"_

_Akefia decided to look contemplative for a moment, before flashing her a contented grin. _

"_Not a bad start" he said sarcastically._

---

Author's Note: _Hey, look, ROMANCE! Whatdaya know? _

_Well, this chapter was another long one… I wish I could get through the history and stuff faster, but I need to make sure you guys got all the details. I'll try to sum up the rest soon enough, since it'll all start to fly by pretty fast. _

_Thanks to my reviewers! I love you guys, you all rock! And to those who requested it, I give upon you the virtual Yugi plushy with angel wings as well! (though, I don't know why you chose this because does that symbolize that Yugi's a good spirit or that he's dead? I'm getting mixed messages here, folks, but still, luv ya all!)_


	64. Dark Love's Fallacy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _FEEDBACK! Oh sweet feedback!_

_So, everyone likes the romance, eh? Well, at least most of you do—too bad for anyone else, because there is more of it! YAY! _:P

_I would like to announce these awesome peeps, who did the great deed in reviewing meh! They deserve a good applause for their loyalties!_

**Elfbrat18, ArchangelAki, Maridel, SeleneXAngel, becca, spiritfire, feyannabellee, ANZU&ATEMU FAN, the CAPTAIN Hikari Paladin, inuyashagirl22, ray1, Hikari2, **_and _**Isis the Sphinx. **

_Thanks, guys! And now, let's continue!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 64: Dark Love's Fallacy….**

"That was how it started" Bakura said. "With a kiss. After that, Samira stayed with me in Kul Elna, and we began to plot together as partners. I taught her how to become a thief… from stealing techniques to how to shield oneself with the power of the shadows, I told her of all my many secrets, and showed her how to perfect her own dark magic. She already had powerful magic within her, but she had not sharpened it yet to be like a tool—to be quick and lethal, to be used at a moment's notice. That was what I did for her."

---

_Akefia and Samira stood in the desert, the wind whipping around them as Ra shone down upon them from the oceanic sky. From where Samira stood, a pool of shadows formed beneath her from Ra's light, yet it was different as it seemed to slither and flow under her as if alive with power. Samira stood still, her arms out before her as she closed her eyes, focusing on what Akefia told her to concentrate on._

"_Now, feel the energy build" Akefia said, standing a few feet from her, his hands on his hips as he watched with cold lilac eyes. "Let it gather into your hands." Samira followed his instruction, feeling the shadow beneath her suddenly glide up around her body and coming to her hands, wrapping around her fingers and into her palms. Akefia smirked a little. _

"_That's it… now concentrate on molding it. That power is yours to bend and will—remember that." Samira nodded, focusing on what he told of her. She opened her palms a little, letting the slips of shadows swirl about as she mentally tried to alter its form. Slowly the shadows obeyed, gathering together in a small mass that soon took the shape of a concerted orb that fitted all of its power into a tiny structure. It was the size of a glass marble, as Samira gradually opened her eyes to look upon what she had created. She smiled as her crimson eyes sparkled with glee._

"_I did it" she said to Akefia as she continued to stare down at her small mass of shadow energy. She could sense him approach from where he stood at her left, sauntering up to her as he brought his own hand to touch hers. She looked up at him as he looked upon her shadow ball._

"_Nice work" he said flatly, before suddenly tapping on her ball of darkness, causing it to dissipate into nothing again, ruining all of her hard work. Samira gaped as Akefia walked back to Kul Elna, which was only a small distance away from where they were, with Samira glaring at his back. "Now do it again, and this time, I want it twice as big." _

---

"Over time, I discovered what the Eye of Ra on my hand could do as a power" continued Samira. "With Akefia strengthening my shadow skills, we both found out that my new-found gift was one of control—that I could bend the wills of men to my choosing, and they would obey me for as long as I required.

"This was actually a great improvement for me—though we vampires have the ability to control humans too, it is only for a short period of time and it is only to get them sedated enough that we can feed without them fighting us off. I learned that this ability had been exchanged in me for the Millennium Rod's power, because I could no longer tempt humans anywhere near me… it had been replaced with the power of the Items.

"At first, I thought this to be a bad thing, since it was only men that I could control in my midst, and only if their will was not too strong. However, I realized that with this power, I could command an army without any hesitation, and I could feed off a man as many times as I pleased if I kept the slave around. It was something better, and it turned out that Akefia thought so as well."

---

"_Do you really think I could do that much?" Samira asked as she sat cross-legged on the floor of Akefia's underground lair—the temple with the Tablet of the Pharaoh's Memories, where all seven of the Millennium Items would be placed. Akefia was going through some of his stock, looking for where he hid some maps to a few tombs he had been meaning to "investigate"._

_Akefia nodded as he went through a stack of papyrus scrolls, annoyed that he couldn't find what he was looking for. "With that kind of power? Samira, we could take over the entire world with that kind of Shadow Magic! You said it was from the Millennium Rod?"_

_Samira's eyes were downcast as she traced shapes in the dust and sand that littered the stone floor beneath her. "Yes—unfortunately that was the cause of many terrible events, including my Mother's death… it is one of the main reasons that I escaped the palace and came to be a nomad." Akefia nodded absently, mumbling under his breath. He still did not really believe that she could possibly be the future Queen of Egypt—it just wasn't possible, a monster like her? However, some of the things that she told him were causing him to rethink his original skepticism, as they were things that only royalty—or a spying thief such as himself—would know._

_Akefia sighed as he stopped his search and came over to stand above Samira, giving her his hand so that he could help her back up to standing. "Well, be glad you have that power anyways. With something that potent, I'm sure you could command armies of fools beneath us. Your magic may give us the amount of followers that we need to fulfill our plans of revenge!" Akefia chuckled darkly for a moment. "I believe it is safe to say that you could control any man you wanted, if you chose."_

_Samira, being one with a quick tongue, instantly raised an eyebrow. "Even you, Akefia the Thief King?" she asked teasingly. _

_Akefia snorted. "Well, I would highly doubt that" he said in a superior tone. "For I am sure that my will is far too strong for even your powers to command—we're talking about the Thief King, after all. Mere magic cannot subdue me."_

"_Oh?" Samira asked, amused. "Should we test your theory, then, oh great Thief King? To see if your will truly is 'far too powerful' for my powers?" Akefia arched his own eyebrow, contemplating it. Finally he nodded in her direction, as he walked away from her so that they were now a few feet apart._

"_I don't see why not, seeing as you will fail" he said. He then braced himself, giving Samira a provocative grin. "Well? Show me what you've got—I can take it."_

"_We'll see about that!" Samira challenged playfully, as she brought forth her left hand, the palm facing the tomb robber. The Eye of Ra glowed with its cerulean brilliance, lighting up the entire temple as Samira concentrated her powers upon the white-haired Egyptian. She focused, extending her will out to him, trying to pry into his mind ever so sharply… and she hit a solid wall. Surprised, Samira retracted her power, and the light in her palm died down to a mere glow as it revealed Akefia, slumped where he stood. Samira gasped a little in surprise._

"_Hey, Thief King!" she called out. "Are you alright?" Akefia remained slumped over for a moment or two, which scared Samira—had she accidentally hurt him? Killed him, even? She still didn't have complete control over her magic, so mishaps were bound to happen. However, she then heard an eerie chuckle echo through the chamber… one that over the last few weeks she grew to know all too well. _

_Akefia rose up, swaying a bit as he caught himself from falling. Samira watched him, still not exactly the friendliest of folk—she preferred to let Akefia get to his own feet, not wanting to have to hear about his pride or the fact that the King of Thieves didn't need help from anyone… she was starting to tire from that._

_Akefia's half-lidded gaze caught hers, and he laughed a little._

"_Well, that certainly was something else" he said, as he tried to walk over to her, sometimes nearly tripping on himself. "Powerful magic, you have there. But, like I said…" he straightened himself up, his full height known as he towered over Samira, looking down upon her with his violet orbs, "…it was nothing I couldn't handle." _

_Samira chuckled, seeing how hard he was trying to stay upright… apparently her powers were more than she had originally thought them to be._

"_I expected nothing less from you, Thief King Akefia" she said._

---

"In exchange for what I taught Samira, she gave back to me in servants" added Bakura. "Not only did I have my regular followers, but also slaves that Samira could control with the power of her Eye of Ra that she got from the Millennium Rod.

"Together we began to build an army of dark soldiers… at first, most of them were human, but after a while I noticed that we soon had vampire followers as well. Samira told me that as their queen she was now commanding her brethren from the other countries—and because she was their queen they had to obey her, whether they wanted to be there or not. She wanted them to join her in the fight to take down the Egyptian empire… she wanted to have them create the new vampire legacy in Egypt's ruins. Of course, that also attracted several teams of vampire hunters from different countries to try and rid Egypt of this problem… they all failed miserably, I can assume.

"I didn't try to stop her… I thought her ideals were a bit foolish, too much of a dream, but I let her dream them. I didn't really give a shit about what she thought or wanted—at the time my main concern was getting to her so-called brother, the Pharaoh, and killing him along with the other High Priests. Of course, I told her I would leave Akunadin to her afterwards.

"And that was how it was for about a year or so. Training, plotting, gathering more servants and soldiers… it wasn't until we had been together for at least more than a year that we finally gave into what a fool might consider love…."

---

"I knew we had feelings for each other" said Samira, "but after a while, things grew from what they had once been—curiosity and intrigued then turned into something more passionate. Yes, we had our goals, our lust for revenge and the deaths of those we despised, but that is what brought us closer, I will assume.

"With my magic I began working on a palace for myself—a place for the new vampire domain to be. The old castle had been in a faraway country—at least that is what Mother had said—so I decided to make the new rule in the desert, far from anyone else. With servants and my shadow magic, I conjured up a palace similar to yours—this palace, by the way—and this was where Akefia and I hosted our rebellion, gathering weapons and forces to this new place of rule.

"I also followed Akefia on some of his thieving ventures, as his partner in crime as we stole treasures from tombs all over the Valley of the Kings. It was then that I noticed how much feeling Akefia had in his work—and it was slowing him down. I could see that, despite his skills and cold heart, he still was human enough that his feelings got in the way of what he did. So, I decided that I could help him to become a better thief… with a little magic of my own…."

---

"_You realize that this idea of yours sounds a little impossible" Akefia argued as Samira massaged his tense shoulder muscles, as he had just had a tough exploit of one of the former Pharaoh's tombs that had obviously been heavily protected. Samira only nodded as her fingers worked their way into his shoulders and arms, her feet bare on the cool floor of their new palace in what she would consider to be one of the master bedrooms._

"_I understand" Samira answered. "But, it isn't exactly impossible. I did find this spell in that priest's tomb back a few days ago… and I have looked it over. It has no flaws, of that I can assure you, Thief King."_

_Akefia grunted a little as Samira's fingers kneaded on a very tight spot in his back, as she tried to loosen it up while he slumped in a chair in front of her. _

"_Alright… then… what is it, exactly?" he asked._

"_It is a hex that, if you take in a small quantity, will freeze over your heart and silence your emotions. It's very powerful, so only a small measurement will suffice" Samira said. "Nonetheless, I think that you would do better with it—I have seen you in action, Akefia, and sometimes I notice your hesitation to kill an innocent or your fear when you face a new challenge. Though you try to hide it, I see that it gets in your way, and even you would agree that you would function better with a heart of ice." Akefia was silent for a while, as if contemplating her offer. Samira continued to rub down on his shoulders, finding another tight muscle and working into it roughly. After a while, she finally asked, "So, what do you think?"_

"_I think it sounds extremely risky" Akefia spat, stopping Samira's work as he turned around to face her, his upper body twisted so that his eyes now met hers. He was shirtless, only wearing his white sarong which matched his still ashen hair, and contrasted from his beautifully bronzed skin. He was scowling at her, his violet eyes hard, but then they slowly softened as his lips curled into a teasing grin. _

"_And, you know how much I like things risky…." He stood up, coming to full height as he sauntered around his chair and approached Samira. He wrapped his muscular arms around her waist as she chuckled, enjoying the feel of his strong arms holding her._

"_I know you do" she whispered contently. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, laughing and smirking at one another, until Akefia finally came down and let his lips meet hers in a passionate kiss that made even Samira moan a little in pleasure. With their arms wrapped around each other, groping in every possible motion in an attempt to get into a better position, the thoughts about the spell were soon left as forgotten as their clothes on the sand-brick floor of their new palace._

---

"It wasn't long after till Samira performed the spell on me—and that changed me from what I once was." Bakura brushed some of his hair from his face, letting it get swept up in the breeze. "It was the same thing that she had used on you, Anzu—only this time it was in the form of a small drop of blue liquid that she set on my chest. It had the same effect, though just not to the extreme that yours was."

"It froze your heart?" Anzu asked, fascinated. Bakura nodded.

"Yes, but not enough to kill me. Since my soul was already filled with shadow magic from my association with Zorc, I was not sent to the Shadow Realm like you were by the accumulated darkness that this spell conjures in the soul. At such a small dosage I was simply left heartless—I had no more real feelings except those of hatred since they were too powerful for her spell to hold back, and that was how I became one of the most revered and feared tomb robbers in Egypt.

"I no longer cared about my well-being or about life for that matter. When I killed people, I didn't see my own villagers looking at me anymore—I no longer felt guilty when I slaughter them all in their homes. And when I stole, I had no fear against any challenge—I was reckless, but because of my lack of emotions my instincts and skills became sharp like the daggers I carried wherever I went. I became powerful… enough so that I could take out the Pharaoh and steal his Items.

"I always thought that Samira would be bothered by this—after all, our relationship was just beginning to get interesting and here she was making all my feelings disappear… well, in her words she was locking my emotions away, and since she cast the spell she had the ability to remove it at any time to make me normal again, with the supposed consequence that I would suffer from the build-up of emotions being released all at once. But when I asked she told me that it was for the better—that thieving was my true passion and she would not stop me. She said that was how much she loved me….

"And I was foolish enough to believe her for a time. I had never had a real relationship, with anyone before. To have someone actually care about me that way… she could have frozen my heart ten times over, and I would still be in love with her. That became my weakness—she had me wrapped around her finger, for a while.

"It wasn't until I achieved this sense of emptiness that I could soon see the true Samira behind her eyes… where before my own lust confused me and made me think her to be within my control, I quickly realized that I was wrong. She had been in control of everything all along.

"And I had just become a pawn that needed to be removed."

---

"The truth was, I really didn't _love_ Akefia" Samira admitted, flicking back a strand of her hair that she had been recently playing with. "I mean, I did love him, but I was not like him—desperate for human relations.

"I still kept in mind what his real plans were—to take all seven Millennium Items, and bring back the evil god Zorc to this world. I was no fool to what would happen if I allowed that—if Zorc was revived into this realm, then the world would be covered in his dark aura and all living things would perish beneath his reign! I could not allow that to occur, since my goal was to bring forth a new age for my people, for my kind to prosper in… and you can't do that if you're killed off by a murderous entity.

"I gave him a heart of ice because I did want him to do a better job at being the Thief King—after all, he would only have a short time to enjoy such a luxury. I only stayed with Akefia long enough to obtain what I needed, and that was power: he gave me the control over the shadows that I required, and I now had armies of men behind me to assault the palace. I was finally ready, after two years, to bring forth my Mother's old legacy under my rule—I would be the new Queen of Egypt and the Vampires, and there was only one thing standing in my way…

"… And that was Akefia."

---

Bakura sighed audibly. "I eventually saw the mask that she wore… the one that I had fallen in love with. Of course, being heartless I now didn't feel much for her, but it was to my disappointment that she also didn't feel what I once felt for her.

"With my instincts at their all-time best, I could sense that things were not right about her… she was far from me, not daring to get too close despite what she said. This cold feeling didn't sit well, and I began to feel antsy about it… I had to do something about it, because above all else, the feeling that I did sense off of her…

"… I registered as a threat. My instincts and shadow powers told me that she was planning to get rid of me… to possibly try and kill me. And that was something that, obviously, didn't sit well with me at the time.

"My suspicion were made known one night, when I was arriving back from a long trip to a very large tomb that was a good distance from the palace. I came into our room, and she was there, waiting for me so as to help address any wounds I might have had… she always did this for me, so I thought no different of it. And as usual this led to us kissing, and it was during that moment that my gut feeling hollered to me—something was amiss.

"That was evident once I realized that she had a dagger in one hand… the one that was at my back and perfectly ready to stab me.

"I evaded her blade, and I asked her why she tried to kill me… she made an effort to come up with excuses, but she could think of nothing good to say back. I was infuriated—the one emotion that was too strong for her spell to contain was anger, where I actually should have felt heartbreak instead. Revenge seethed in me—even if I had once loved her, I refused to let her get away with trying to stab me. I left the palace, with her crying out to me from behind.

"At that point, I knew what it was that I wanted to do."

---

"He left me, just like that. Just waltzed right out of the palace, so furious with me… I would have been too, if he was the one with the blade" said Samira wistfully. "I was a bit upset, but not by much. I could always come after him later if it came down to it… after all, I still had his men and his weapons. At this point I was at the top, at the pinnacle of my plans… but it didn't last long.

"It was only days after my murder attempt; I was nearly ready to organize my troops to attack your palace, when my own fortress was suddenly invaded by your royal guards. I hadn't seen it coming, so I could not prepare my men in time… they infiltrated the inner core of the palace and found me. I had been busy looking up binding hexes, and I had been alone at the time… an easy target for a good twenty soldiers.

"I was taken by surprise, so I hadn't the time to try and use my magic to control all of them at once … they grabbed me, dragging me to my throne room where I was met with the faces of your High Priests. I was set on my knees before them, and they said that I could no longer continue my plans… that the vampire's reign would finally end with me.

"Then they brought in what I could only recognize as vampire hunters… different ones from Mother's, but it was a team of seven men that made chills run up my spine. They had weapons, enchantments… these men were apparently the best vampire killers in Egypt and our neighboring countries, and they were brought here to finalize my own death.

"I was terrified… after what they had done to Mother, I could only imagine what they would do to me. I tried to struggle as they dragged me away but I could not get out from the hands that bound me. They took me out of my palace… but just as I was leaving the throne room, I had seen him, staring at me from the shadows….

"Akefia was there, watching me with a grin on his face. He had been the one to tell the priests of my whereabouts, the traitor… he was the one who sentenced me to my death that day. I yelled to him, asking for him to help me… but he just kept on grinning, smiling like he was so proud of himself for what he had accomplished. That was the last time I ever saw him… with that grin, and that look of malice in his eyes.

"Not something I wanted to reminisce about, when they brought me back to the palace, to where I had grown up all my life. They took me to a secret room, not even informing you of this… I guess you really had forgotten about me, for if you had known who I was you would perhaps have come to watch, or maybe come to my aid… but I didn't know anymore. Maybe you had hated me like I had grown to hate you… I could never be sure, but it's not like that was my main concern….

"The hunters tied me up, and bound my powers inside of me like they did Mother. I thought that I would be trapped within a jar like she was… but I was mistaken. I guess I had not been powerful enough for them to worry about my spirit escaping my body or something to that nature, because they did something far more sinister.

"They killed me in every possible fashion imaginable! They forced poison into me, set me on fire until my skin had melted off of me, and put a stake into my heart… as if that wouldn't kill anyone. I'm sure if you drove a stake through a human's chest it would kill them too… but yes, they literally massacred me—I'm not sure if it was out of fear or because it was part of their method. Whatever it was, it was so brutal… I don't remember which way I died, but it doesn't matter… the point was that I died—they killed me, listening to me screaming the whole way through.

"Screaming for Mother…screaming for Her to save me… but I knew that neither of us could be saved. We were both helpless to the persecutions around us… to the humans who stole away our lives.

"But no one was around to hear me… no one. Not you, not Akefia… it was at that point that I knew I was truly alone, that there was no one to stand by my side.

"So that is when I made my vow—to come back one day, and do to what should have been done so many years ago….

"To take revenge on the humans who destroyed the soul of my kind… who destroyed the spirit of the vampires."

---

Author's Note:_ And now we shall return to more enlightening topics… maybe, maybe not, 'cause I still have lots more explaining to do. Though this time, it deals with Atemu's past, not Samira's. Oh the joy…._

_But we might get to some more important topics, like WHEN THE HELL WILL YUGI BE SAVED? You guys all wanna know… but you'll have to wait in order to find out/_

_Review, my peeps! Love to you all! _:D


	65. What Lies Beyond Truth

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Moving right along… oh, hey, look, we got to hear about Samira's wonderful death! I'm sure that makes some of you feel so warm and fuzzy inside, doesn't it?_

_Peeps I'd like to thank:_

**SeleneXAngel, Isis the Sphinx, Elfbrat18, Jna-chan, Miss Unperfect Nobody, inuyashagirl22, feyannabellee, ANZU&ATEMU FAN, ArchangelAki, spiritfire, Maridel, the CAPTAIN Hikari Paladin, Nenny, becca, Atem's Only Love **_and_** Hikari2.**

_And... I would like to give Isis the Sphinx a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Today is her B-Day, so to give a nice gift, I have updated! Too bad, though... I'm sure the best gift for you would be to have Yugi saved right? Um, yeah, sorry about that... heh heh..._

_And OMIGOD I have hit 500 reviews! Didn't I just hit 400 a little while ago? Hmm, I thought so too… but that just means I'm getting reviews by the bundle, and that means that everyone's loving the story! YAY!_

_My 500th reviewer is a new person to the reviewer team… _**Miss Unperfect Nobody**

_Thank you for giving me that milestone, _**Miss Unperfect Nobody**_! You are given my utmost thanks! As are the rest of y'all who review me! I LOVE YOU ALL!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics… and all that jazz. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 65: What Lies Beyond Truth….**

"_I still feel the guilt… I still see her face when I close my eyes" Akhenamkhanen said, his chin resting cupped in his hands, as Siamun's hand rested on his shoulder. "Rakia's. I never wanted her to be executed, imprisoned the way she was. She was a good person, with a kind heart—even if she were a vampire she would never have hurt a soul. There was no reason for us to be so extreme."_

"_But, my Pharaoh, we had to be sure!" Siamun assured him. "There was no telling back then what Rakia's true intentions were—for all we knew that could have been a guise that she was using just to get close to royalty. She managed to become Queen and have two children from you… with such an influence, who knows what kind of things she could have done in her position of power! She could have completely taken over Egypt, she could have—"_

"_I know what she **could** have done, Siamun" Akhenamkhanen answered. "But she didn't, and wouldn't. Rakia was a good woman, a good person—I would not have married her if I had not thought otherwise."_

_Siamun sighed, knowing that his king would argue to the death about Rakia's virtue. "I understand that, my Pharaoh… you placed your trust in your wife and your judgment, that is quite understanding… but you must remember that she was not human, and **could** have done terrible things to Egypt if she had not been silenced. She may not have performed such acts, but she **could** have done them later, had she not been stopped." _

_Akhenamkhanen's eyes were very distant, glazing over at memories that he could never be rid of. Images of his precious Rakia, her sweet smile glowing at him as her crimson eyes twinkled so innocently… the way she held Atemu and laughed when he giggled. His heart grew heavy—did he have to let his priests sentence her to such a fate as hers? Why did he allow his love to be caged in such a terrible means? He sighed heavily—was he a bad husband, to have been so fearful for his children as to let his own wife be tortured and killed? Or was he thinking of the safety of his people?_

_Somehow his heart could never settle on the latter option, which sounded too much like an excuse for a mighty Pharaoh to accept._

_He glanced over at Siamun, who was watching over him wearily. "Perhaps you are right" Akhenamkhanen admitted, as he turned his gaze back in front of him, staring at nothing. "And perhaps you are wrong, Siamun. Who is to know, accept the soothsayers and oracles? And even Isis had seen a cloudy future if Rakia had been allowed to live… another reason why I allowed you to go forward with your plans. I was skeptical myself about everything once I learned the truth—even if Akunadin was the one to admit such things, we took them as fact from what we saw. And even then they could have been lies, knowing Akunadin." He scowled as he thought about his brother, the traitor that he was. He was glad that his brother had been taken down by his son and nephew so long ago, when he should have long before. _

"_Yes, but that is long since past, my king" Siamun said. "We did what we thought at the time was best—there was nothing else we could have done to change the situation as it were."_

_There was a long silence between them for a while—neither spoke for a few moments. Finally, Akhenamkhanen broke the quiet._

"_Siamun?" he asked. His vicar glanced up, his wisdom-filled purple eyes watching curiously. "Somehow, I have never brought myself to ask you of this, but… after Rakia was sentenced to imprisonment, did you have to cloud Atemu and Samira's memories like you did? Did you really have to… make them forget about their mother like that?"_

_Siamun was quiet for a moment, twiddling his wrinkled thumbs as he looked down at them thoughtfully. An inaudible sigh escaped his lips under the cloth that covered his face. "My king, we had theories amongst ourselves—the priests and I. We assumed that if, the prince and princess did not know of what they could become… if they did not know that their mother had been slain for what she was, and for they were as well, then perhaps we could hide this secret with them. We thought that perhaps not knowing of their mother and anything related to her would cause them not to remember what they also were, and if they did not know, then there would be no way for them to unleash their powers and darker sides… there would be no way for them to become vampires."_

"_But Samira still did… I watched from the Afterlife, when she ran away" the late Pharaoh added. Siamun nodded absently._

"_Yes… apparently she was already keen to our plans and managed to keep her memories intact. She must have been onto us from the start—meaning that she might have been changed before her mother passed away. But it makes no difference—maybe the enchantment we placed upon her was broken by accident."_

_Akhenamkhanen shook his head, sighing. "No, I'm afraid she probably was changed and avoided your magic all together. And it was after that that she ran away."_

"_That was why we did what we had to do, my king—if her memory had been erased then she would not have run away, and maybe everything that had happened would have occurred differently—"_

"_Akunadin would still have tried to kill her" Akhenamkhanen interrupted. "That was why Samira ran away in the first place—to escape Akunadin and the wrath of you and the other High Priests when you discovered that she still remembered. I kept my eye on her after I passed on, and I saw what occurred between her and my brother. Sometimes I wished she had killed him right then and there." The Egyptian smirked. "**Then** maybe none of this would ever have happened."_

_Siamun nodded robotically, as he usually did. "True, true. But needless to say, we had to do what we did to them—if they knew too much, then Atemu would have revolted with Samira, and Egypt may have been lost to an even darker fate, and the world itself would not have a savior."_

"_Is a dark savior better than no savior?" Akhenamkhanen mused. "I just wished that they did not have to forget her… and some days I wished you had done that for me as well. Her memory haunts me to this day, Siamun—even in the Afterlife I see her in the crowds, staring at me, asking me why I did what I did to her. I hear her voice whispering to me, saying that I let her die… I heard that everyday when I was alive, and every moment since I've been dead. I can't escape her… and I wish I could forget the agonizing screams I heard from her that night. The night that she died._

"_Maybe it was for the best that the children forgot… Atemu went on to be very happy. He grew up and became Pharaoh, just as I had wanted for him. Samira was the one who remembered, and she rebelled, teaming up with the Thief King and planning upon her own country her revenge. If she did not remember, then maybe things would not have turned out they way they did… maybe history would have been changed forever."_

"_Or maybe…" Siamun began, but as he went forward to agree with the Pharaoh, they were both alerted by a strange noise. Both their gazes fell on one of the many large clay pots in the room—one of the pots had its lid move ever so slightly. Both of the elder men sighed._

"_Mana, come out of that pot" Siamun commanded. At first the container remained still, and not a sound was heard from it for several seconds. Then the lid lifted very slowly upward, as if levitating. _

_But it was quickly seen that underneath the lid was a girl's head… one with tanned skin, long russet hair and big blue eyes. She peeked out from inside the pot, scanning the room as she gazed upon the former Pharaoh and his advisor.  
_

"_Oh, hello Siamun…" she said meekly. The elder smirked a little as he saw her timidly look out from inside her hiding spot. _

"_All the way out, Mana." With a childish grace the magician's apprentice obeyed, lifting the lid off her head and placing it on the ground before her as she made her way out of the pot. It revealed a young girl who was around Atemu's age, wearing a skimpy dress and a strange piece of head-wear to match. She slipped out from the pot, and stood with her left hand rubbing the nape of her neck sheepishly._

"_Um, pardon my, um, eavesdropping, my Pharaoh…" she said, mumbling a bit as she tried to remain collected before her king. "I was in the pot before you came in and then you came so I couldn't really leave it… ha ha."_

_Akhenamkhanen shook his head, a light smile gracing his lips. "You were hiding from Mahado again, weren't you Mana?" The teen giggled nervously at the suspicion._

"_Maybe…" she answered cutely. Siamun smiled too, before his face then became quite grave and serious._

"_Mana, you just heard everything that the Pharaoh and I have been discussing, have you not?" he asked her directly. Mana became very solemn as she nodded lightly._

"_Yes, I heard everything" she admitted, looking down at her feet as they shuffled about. "All the stuff about Pharaoh Atemu's mom and sister, and all that stuff… I heard it. I'm sorry."_

"_No need to be sorry, Mana" Akhenamkhanen said. "You were in here by accident, and heard everything by mistake. It is not something to be ashamed of, believe me." Mana nodded absently to him speaking to her._

"_And I know that Atemu is gone…" she added sadly. Her eyes shot up to the king and advisor. "He went back to the living world, right? Is he gonna be okay? Do you know what's happening to him?" _

"_We're about to find out" Akhenamkhanen answered. His gaze went to Siamun, whose eyes met his and a silent agreement went between them. The late Pharaoh turned back to Mahado's apprentice. _

"_Mana." The Pharaoh addressed her very seriously and formally—so much so that Mana's body went straight and rigid at the mention of her name. "Y-Yes?" she asked._

"_Go back to the banquet and gather the High Priests and Kisara. I want you and the others to come to my private quarters and meet with Siamun and I. **Immediately**." At the punctuated "immediately", Mana did a quick nod and bolted out of the room, heading down the hall to the throne room. The two men could hear her footsteps scamper away, becoming fainter and fainter until they disappeared all together. Once she was gone Siamun gazed back at his king once again._

"_Are you sure of what you are doing, my Pharaoh?" he asked wisely. The Egyptian ruler sighed, shaking his head._

"_No, I'm afraid I am never sure anymore" he answered somberly. "But it would be for the best that they all know what is happening as well. I would rather them hear the truth from me than from any outside source._

"_Though, now I am beginning to believe that Atemu is the only one who is oblivious to everything."_

---

"And that, was the story of my life till death" Samira said, waving her left hand casually in the air before her. Her eyes looked up to meet her brother's, whose eyes had glazed over considerably since she started to tell her tale—she paid no mind to it, as she yawned offhandedly.

"Oh, so much talking…" she complained lightly as she stretched out her arms to the sky. "I need a stiff drink right about now." Her hand gestured ever so slightly, and from the shadow behind her large throne a form suddenly materialized from it. The person could not be seen from the darkness save a pale hand which held a clear glass goblet containing a thick ruby liquid—or blood. Samira took it gently, and the hand retracted, as the figure faded back into the nothing of the shadows to further await the beck and call of its mistress.

Samira took the chalice to her lip, and sipped the blood with a much awaited eagerness. When she finished she licked her lips, letting the dark crimson fluid make her lips look even redder. She smirked up at Atemu, her heavy-lidded gaze dancing with the light of the nearby torches. "Ah… just needed something to wash down the last meal. A nice little snack till later, I suppose."

Atemu gazed down at Samira, his mind racing with so many thoughts, so many stories. For a moment they were washed away, his eyes trained on the glass of blood that she held between her hands, and the way it coated her lips like that. He licked his own lips, his throat feeling a bit dry at the thought of the blood, and how warm and thick it might be, running across his tongue—

_No! I can't let this overcome me_! Atemu thought desperately, trying hard not to look at the goblet. As his eyes wandered away his mind refocused, and all of Samira's words pierced through him as he tried to recollect his jumbled thoughts.

Was all of what Samira said really true? Had that _really_ been his past, all hidden away? A puzzle within a puzzle, but this was one he was never supposed to solve. This was a puzzle that was meant to be buried away forever from him… so that he would never know—

His mother. The woman Samira called Rakia… his mother. Why did deep inside his soul, he could feel himself cry out that name? Why did his heart stir at the mention of that name? Was it really true, then—was that woman, this "Rakia", really who had given birth to him? The one that he had once called Mother?

He could feel his soul, his memories struggling against the bindings the priests shackled him to—he could sense his spirit trying to hard to overcome the haze that fogged his thoughts. It was to no avail, but it helped him realize that there was some truth to what Samira said. There was something being concealed from him, and soon he was going to find this truth for himself, without Samira's biased words.

Were they truly biased, though? Many of the things she said, and the way she weaved her tale, it all seemed true—she knew of things that only he and those from his past would know, like about his father and Akefia. Perhaps she really spoke of the truth, and he was too blind to see it… but could he trust her? Could he just assume that this was the truth and nothing else?

The fact that he was a vampire stunned him—there was something with that statement that made his whole body and all his senses tingle with recognition. It was as if he were feeling a sense of pride in that knowledge, a sense of significance… his entire body screamed at him, telling him it was all too true. The urges for blood and the unsound control of the shadows… his heart raced, his mind confused with so many sensations. Was he really a monster, a creature of the dark? Did he really hold such a force within him, and such malice along with it?

He had known his memories to be misguided and somewhat deceitful—after all, the truth wore many faces, depending upon whose point of view it was from. And with his point of view as jumbled as the Millennium Puzzle pieces, it could be easily bend to whoever was around to command it… changing upon him an outlook that was never his. He knew he did not recall everything in his past just yet, or maybe he never would, but to this extent? There were lies within lies, veils over secrets hidden beneath the floorboards of his mind… so many things hidden from him that he could not deny.

He wondered when it was that he would finally wake up, either in his soul room beside Yugi's or in his room in the Afterlife or on the throne of his palace with Siamun badgering him. Any one of those three would have been acceptable, as long as this whole event could be placed behind him as a very vivid and unrealistic nightmare….

He looked back at Samira, to see his sister smiling at him in a very kindred way. She swirled the blood around in her glass, watching it gently swish against the goblet as it lightly stained the clear surface.

"Letting it all soak in, are you?" she asked nonchalantly. "That is a lot of information to take, all in one sitting. I wouldn't be surprised if you went insane right now, knowing that your life has been a lie fabricated by the ones closest to you. I already have, and look at me! I turned out fine!" She chuckled a little, taking the chalice to her lips again and taking a hefty swig. Atemu watched pensively, trying to hold back his desire to ask for a taste of that blood. He still refused to give into these strange urges of his, no matter how demanding—he still did not accept what Samira had said of him.

"Samira, your story has ended" Atemu announced firmly. "Now, I have held up my end of the bargain and listened—in exchange you must do as I asked, and take care of Yugi. I'm waiting."

Samira looked up from her drink, her garnet robs instantly catching his. "Atemu… _so_ impatient you are. Did I say that story-time was over just yet?" She let her index finger trace around the rim of her glass lightly, letting it slide around the edge in a circular motion. "I'm not done just yet, dear brother."

"But you said you died!" Atemu argued, his fury instantly rekindled. "You story IS over! Now go and help Yugi, **as you promised**."

"Atemu, I did say that _my_ story is over" Samira responded calmly, failing to match the obvious rage that Atemu had as he bared his teeth to her viciously. "But that was never the real end. Because I had died so brutally, my spirit could never really go onto the Afterlife. I ended up becoming a restless ghost, wandering the earth as I watched what happened around me. And I saw what happened to **you**… I witnessed your true ending as well."

Atemu's anger was instantaneously silenced, as his eyes widened a bit at her words. His story? The true ending? What more was there then what he already knew? Before he could say anything she continued, and he dared not interrupt.

"I saw how Egypt fell, in the confrontation between you and Akefia and Zorc… I saw everything, and how you sacrificed yourself for the wretched humans that were your subjects. But, do you know the **true** reason why you were locked away, Atemu?" Her eyes pierced into his as she asked him, "Do you really know _why_ you were imprisoned in the Puzzle?"

Atemu nodded—this was an obvious one. "Because in order to seal Zorc away I had to also seal my soul to make it happen. I did what I had to do for my people, and the world." He then noticed that Samira was holding back a chuckle of amusement. He seethed under his breath. "_What is so funny_?"

"Oh, just the fact that you are continuously falling for their lies" Samira answered. Seeing Atemu's face contort in confusion, she explained. "I know about the Memory World, Atemu. I know what they showed you there—about Egypt, about your battles against Zorc. Obviously, because of Zorc's interference and the inclusion of your little friends, things were not the same as they were in the past, but it is far more twisted than that. For you see, there were other motives as to why you were locked away…."

"Other motives?" Atemu asked. Samira nodded in reply.

"Yes. It wasn't really to seal away Zorc, though that would have been by far the most obvious. It was truly because, as time went on I watched you in the real battles against Akefia and Uncle… and I observed how you were handling your powers and urges. Siamun and the other High Priests hadn't a clue that when they erased your memories they were only prolonging the inevitable: it was only a matter of time before your vampire side started to rebel against your human half. A hybrid vampire cannot stay human for too long—they must be changed in their adolescence, or else their vampire and human sides will become at war for dominance, creating a monster out of the person. They will go insane, and might go on a killing frenzy just to try and quell the burning desires and pain within them… though, precautions are usually taken against this, so it has never been taken into any real account.

"Nevertheless, you were beginning to show signs of such behavior—your darkness was beginning to grow beyond the limits of your human form… you could summon the Egyptian Gods, not a feat for any normal human to perform. This signaled off to Siamun and the others that this would become a problem—if you were allowed to continue as you were, then your darkness would soon overshadow your human self, and force you to search for a vampire who could change you and rid you of the human interference… so that you could become what you were supposed to be. If you couldn't find one in time you would probably destroy yourself in frustration, along with everyone within twenty miles of you while you were at it.

"The High Priests needed to prevent that, but they were unsure as to how exactly. The battle for Egypt and the world continued, and your darkness became even more powerful, as you managed to defeat the dark beings in your way. And when it came to getting rid of Zorc, you managed to do that with ease—your darkness had hit its peak, giving you enough power to blast him back to the Shadow Realm. At this point, the priests got worried, and came up with a plan—Seto would take over as Pharaoh, and your soul would be sealed into one of the Millennium Items in order to stop you from becoming a monster. They did not want to change you—what kind of Pharaoh would you be as a vampire? They did not need another one of our kind on their conscious.

"They convinced you into the idea, as they had done for many things… you still have no clue how much power and authority they held over your mind, to make sure that you did not end up as I did. They sealed your soul into the Item, and they erased your memories in the process, creating the Memory World in your sub-conscious as done by them. They retold the story, so that when you did find your memories again, you would find the ones _they _made." Samira smirked. "Do you understand now, little brother?"

Atemu said nothing, and Samira's smirk only grew. The shock factor meant good things… it meant that he was beginning to realize the truth. She continued on as if oblivious to his stunned expression.

"After that, I was left to float about aimlessly, watching as my kind were driven into the shadows as humans soon became the dominant species of the earth. After a few centuries, it dawned upon me that Mother had said something before about Her spirit having the ability to possess a body, and that was why Her soul was locked away in a jar. I then assumed correctly that, if I became powerful enough, I could then possess a body of my own, or maybe retake my vessel and use it in the future to fulfill Mother's wishes. That became my goal for the next few centuries, as each one past me by both quickly and slowly.

"I performed psychic feeding in order to nurture myself. I learned how to possess bodies temporarily, but in that short time span I used their vessels to train my powers, and make them stronger. All the while I waited, hoping to soon become powerful enough to regain my own body and continue what was stopped at my death.

"It was not until five thousand years into the future that I sensed the presence of your spirit being awakened, your power flowing in waves so that I found your reincarnation, building the Millennium Puzzle and bringing you to life once again. I stayed beside you, my soul always with you as you battled against other humans foolish enough to use an Item for their own use… I saw Akefia's reincarnation with the Millennium Ring, and I saw how the ancient feud lived on within you two. You possessed your hikari and the two of you battled many foes—though it may have seemed like a long time to you and your little friends, it was a short second for me… a grain of sand in the hourglass of time, so to speak….

"I also noted your little friend Anzu—the girl who was always beside you. Just the way you two reacted to one another, it made me sick—she had a crush on you and you slowly fell for her. Really, quite sickening…. But it was enough for me to realize that she was the child of light who was prophesied to bring you back from the dead… she would be the one who would summon your soul from the Afterlife, if there was ever any trouble again.

"So I knew who to target first if she finally figured out her purpose.

"I saw you take down the Orichalcos and DOMA, and it was then that I knew that you were still what I once knew you to be… the way your darkness overwhelmed your heart and pushed aside your light, making you play the Orichalcos Seal, I could see the vampire still in you. I could see the darkness that raged in your soul… that there was still proof of this, even then.

"But because you were a spirit, and within a human vessel, you could not change into a vampire. All you had was the darkness within you, and that was enough apparently to allow you access to the Orichalcos. And in that fight, you thought you sealed the darkness of the Orichalcos away, for all eternity.

"But let me ask you this, Brother: where do you think you sealed away that darkness, hmm? Where exactly did you sentence all that power, all that shadow magic and hatred?" There was silence, before Samira finally answered for him. "You sealed it in _yourself_. Where else could you have placed it? You tried to put it in the Puzzle, but obviously with your soul connected to it, it went directly into you again. None of that darkness left you, Atemu—it just became dormant, and you added to it the hatred and magic of the Orichalcos. You only fueled the fire you tried to put out.

"I then watched as you regained your memories—the ones that had been rewritten and twisted to the convenience of the priests. I secretly entered your memories as well, my ghostly form easily able to access the Puzzle along with all your little friends. I saw what they did to your memories… they changed so many things that it wasn't even the same. You were reliving a lie, and you _believed_ it.

"The rest is pretty much history. You were sent to the Afterlife, and all was supposed to end at that… after all, as a spirit in the Afterlife, you couldn't very well become a vampire since you died a human. But it was only a fourth of a moon cycle later that I finally regained enough strength to enter my old body and use my magic to bring myself back from the dead! And it all went down as you have heard before—I tried to kill Anzu so as to stop her from returning you, but my servants failed to do exactly as I bid.

"I tried to silence your revival myself, but she stopped me instead—I thought that I had killed her, but somehow you were still returned to this world. You came here, I had you fight your precious reincarnation, and now you are chained to a wall looking as if your whole world has just fallen apart. And so, here we are, with me enjoying my drink." She took another sip of the blood, to emphasize the point as she gazed upon her listless brother.

Atemu wished that the world would stop spinning underneath him, just long enough for him to get his bearings. Samira's words echoed in his thoughts like a broken record. How much of his life was truly a lie? Did he even know who he was? If his whole past was a lie, then was he a lie too? Was he a different person, with a different personality then this… was he evil? Did he really want to know as all?

He shook his head, trying to bite back a scream of frustration. He wanted to be free of these chains, free of Samira's taunting voice, free of these thoughts in his head. He wanted to be back with Yugi and his friends, he wanted to be home, he wanted to be somewhere other than here! He wanted to forget that he ever realized the truth… he just wanted to be happy with the lies, believing in them again. The lies were far more comforting, far more familiar… the truth burned within him, and it made his soul screech to the heavens for relief.

He could feel sweat drip lightly from his brow, and he could hear his shallow breath—from within him, he could sense a pulsing, a ripple of sensation that came from his heart. It beat softly, echoing in the recesses of his mind, asking him to recognize what it was. After a moment he knew all too well.

It was his darkness, pulsing softly in his heart. It was the shadows, beating gently in his soul. He could sense their urging, their wanting for what he could not have—they could sense his uneasiness, and they wanted to quell that, to ease his pain with poisoned remedy. The more they would help, the more they would hurt… but it would not feel that way. It was his darkness, trying to overpower him again… and he wasn't sure if he could refuse.

From his confusion and struggles within he glanced over at Samira, his face downcast as he panted lightly. He clamed himself, trying not to let his urgings take control… he would not let Samira win power over him with her words. He would fight this off as much as he could… just long enough to destroy her.

But did he really want to do that? She was his sister, after all, his flesh and blood who had gone through so much for their mother… NO, he would destroy her, for what she had done to his friends! For all their suffering, even if they were related he would not let her deeds go unpunished.

But first some questions edged at his conscious… things that he needed to know first and foremost.

"Samira…" he hissed, drawing back the attention of his sister. "Tell me: why did you try to kill me? Why did you want my soul to be sealed from this world?"

"Hmm, an interesting question, my dear brother" Samira said, swishing the blood around in her glass. "Well, let's review what we have learned, shall we? You took away all of Mother's attention… you were considered more important than I. I could not accept that—I was perfectly willing to let Akefia take you down, so that _I_ could become the Queen of the Vampires. And since I am back, and you were not, well… whose to say I wanted you to join the party? I had the world to myself, so I decided to try and keep it that way… not that Mother agreed with me, so sadly I had to spare you—"

"What?" Atemu interrupted suddenly, his eyes shooting up to meet Samira's gaze. Had he just heard that last sentence correctly? "What did you just say? Something about... Mother?" Samira stared at him for a moment, before cackling softly to the air.

"Oh, yes, it seems I forgot to mention that one little factor, didn't I?" Samira chuckled a bit, staring down at her glass of blood as if interested in the way it swished about in its confinement. "Well, needless to say I realized long ago that I was far from being a capable ruler or any sort. I still have room to grow and learn… so I decided many centuries ago that, when I did make my reappearance, I would finish what I intentionally started—I would make the world fitting for Mother's legacy, so that when the time was right, and the Blood Moon would rise over the sands of Egypt…."

She raised her glass up, as if proposing a toast as she smirked quite broadly.

"Mother could be returned to this world as the true **Queen of the Vampires**!"

---

Author's Note: _Okay, so that didn't go too far, but ah, it does get us somewhere. We'll get back to Odion and Ishizu, and Mai and Kaiba soon enough… I would have gotten to them sooner, but from the last time I interrupted the whole Atemu and Samira history thing I got a whole bunch of "WHAT ABOUT YUGI?" _

_You know, I still haven't gotten to that, now have I? Oh well, next chapter then… or maybe the next chapter… or the next chapter after that… okay, SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE!_

_See you all then! Love you all! Review me!_


	66. Listen To The Jail Bird Sing

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Okay folks, I'll be away on a short trip to Dallas, Texas to see some of my relatives from the fifteenth to the eighteenth of this month. I'll be staying in a hotel and since I have no laptop (sniffle… I want one SO bad…) I won't be able to update so you all will have to wait. It's next week, but I figure I'll warn you guys early so I don't forget._

_And if you suddenly see me post a bunch of one-shots (which I never do, since I like LONG epics, as you can see) that is because I have signed up for a writing contest on a forum. We need people to join, so if anyone wants to, I'll put the linky in my profile so that you can sign up. _

_Reviewers who rock my socks:_

**Elfbrat18, Nenny, Isis the Sphinx, feyannabellee, Hikari2, Jna-chan, inuyashagirl22, ArchangelAki, becca, Peeps1993, Maridel, **_and _**spirifire**

_Okay! START READING!_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics… and all that jazz. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 66: Listen To The Jail Bird Sing….**

The cells were usually very quiet, as Mai had noted from the short time she had been locked up here. Silence was as much a prisoner as the rest of the people here like herself—and no one was willing to talk about what exactly was going on around them.

Mai stayed slumped against one of the grimy sand-brick walls that had become her prison, her eyes glazed over as she negligently watched the other people in her cell doing the same thing. There were mostly women, she noted absently, as most of the men had been removed from the cell hours before and had not come back ever since… nonetheless these women all appeared the same way that she did on the outside—hopeless and disheartened.

But on the inside, Mai knew that to not be true of herself. She had seen worse in her career as a duelist—the worst memories she had were of Yami Marik's imprisonment of her in the Shadow Realm and when Rafael used the Orichalcos to take her soul. Both of those she had experienced with much dread and fear, as the torture slowly edged at her mind while she deteriorated gradually enough. But that was the worst of it, and with both experiences she had been eventually saved from her doom. With this, she felt that perhaps it would be no different.

Her eyes wandered over to where Kaiba was standing, the CEO testing the metal bars that incarcerated them here in this dungeon. She knew him to be impatient but that proved to be an understatement—as soon as he finally convinced her that his head had stopped throbbing he stood up and started trying to find a way out of their confinement. This had been at least fifteen minutes ago, and Kaiba was as persistent as he was intolerant too—though finding no weak spots in the metal he tried to see if there were any areas with enough rust to make them flimsy or weak… anything that could indicate a possible escape. Mai admired his determination… it was just his stubborn selfishness that made her eyes narrow into a death glare.

She was still surprised that she had even dared to slap him the way she did! Who knew that one day she would get to do what many people had always dreamt of doing… show Seto Kaiba who was boss. She always knew he could act like a grouch but with her lack of a proper shower and rest it only increased her own reaction time by ten fold—to think some people had to tolerate his behavior 24/7. It nearly cracked her up when she remembered the expression on his face with her hand mark glowing pink on his skin—priceless.

Still, it surprised Mai even more that she had helped him in the first place. She had changed so much since she first started her career as a duelist… if she were the Mai from Duelist Kingdom she would have taken one look at Kaiba and thought, _Well, he can just suffer for all I care_! But now… it really didn't matter if he acted selfish or impudent to her, as long as she did what she needed to do. He had needed help, with that kind of a head wound—she wouldn't have been able to live with herself if the injury had gotten infected and caused Kaiba any possible damage. Even if he did act like a prick.

She sighed heavily, for she knew there were far more important matters to ponder; like all the things Kaiba had told her about what was going on around them. So much information, and most of it was a second-hand telling from Kaiba that he could barely piece together himself due to the fact that he wasn't paying attention when Ishizu tried to fill him in on what occurred while he was a mind puppet. All of it was very sketchy, but she knew enough to understand what he was saying….

She wondered how Anzu was doing right now. _Poor hon', going through all this! I'd be scared too if I had a bunch of homicidal zombies trailing my ass_. Really from what Kaiba tried to describe it sounded as though the teen was living through Hell and surviving—this brought a faint smile to Mai's lips. _I always knew you had it in you, girl. Stay strong, Anzu… for Yugi and Tristan and Joey_….

It pained her even more to know that Joey and the other boys were being used as mind slaves as well. It was like Malik's Reign of Terror Round Two, except this time there was a psychopath princess involved instead of a psychopath tomb keeper. It was still the same though, as she could imagine Joey with those vacant eyes again, glaring so menacingly at Yugi….

_Joey_…. Mai felt her body tremble a little with the thought. When was the last time she had seen Wheeler? During the DOMA event, when she had taken to the Orichalcos and tried to destroy him under false pretenses… how could she have been so foolish to have fallen for such lies? How could she have allowed herself to be taken under Valon's wing the way she had and brought to such a place of evil, to be baptized by a demonic priest of even greater malice?

How could she have been so blind by her losses and loneliness to not see what she was really feeling, deep down inside?

She let her eyes fall to the floor—she was truly ashamed of her actions, so much so that right after her soul was brought back to her body she avoided both Valon and Joey as she went out to try and find herself again. She went out on her own, trying to see if she could rebuild what she had lost in herself, before she could even think of seeing Joey again. She had not been ready to see him just yet. She wanted to wait until she could handle the guilt….

But she knew that Joey would wait for her—he was just that type of guy. He wouldn't forget her, not just yet… as a friend he would remember her, though she sometimes wished they had gotten a little farther with that, perhaps taken it to a higher level. At least that was what Mai had wanted… she had never been sure about Joey's feelings, but ever since he tried to save her from Marik she wondered how much of a friend he really thought her to be. Or if he ever thought of them as something more, something… closer….

But she knew that Joey didn't think about things like that… he had a simple mind, with simple thoughts like food, friends, and dueling. Really, it was in this simplicity that Mai finally understood him for what he was, and perhaps why she took a liking to the blonde numbskull—he may have been simple-minded, but whatever he had on his mind he would stick to it and never let go.

Like with his friends, and his sister—Mai knew how devoted he was to them, and she realized that if assumed her to be a friend then that was probably the best offering she could receive… Joey placed his friends above all else, and would do anything for them.

It was times like these that Mai wondered if she could ever hold up her end of such a bargain.

She wondered why she didn't think of him earlier—why it took Kaiba and a world domination story to get her to even think about him again. Really, she had been getting along nicely on her own. She had been living in Tokyo in an apartment that was within the company of Vivian Wong, a fellow female duelist of her caliber. Somehow she managed to connect with Vivian after fighting in a tag team duel with her against the Paradox Brothers, and the two decided to stay good friends ever since.

She couldn't believe that it was only a week or so ago since they had met for that tag team duel… and how fast the tides turned only days later….

_Mai had been walking to her apartment from a small shopping trip that she took early in the morning. That night she had slept somewhat well, despite some bouts with loneliness that she encountered whenever she slept. She yearned to be with her friends… how they became her friends was irrelevant and unknown to her, but somehow the thought of their company made her feel so abandoned._

_It was nights like those that her heart did yearn a little for companionship, remembering what it was like on the Kaiba Semi-Finals Blimp for the short time she had her soul intact there… she had been with Joey and all of his friends, hanging out and having a good time just being close._

_She missed that, even if she denied such a thing when confronted by anyone other than Vivian. It was also nights like those where she would wake up at around three in the morning, grab her cell phone and talk to Viv, just to know that she had someone to talk to. It annoyed the hell out of Vivian, since she never liked to be awoken at such an unlikely hour for small talk. But she understood what Mai needed, and she gladly gave her such companionship when she could._

_Mai hated the fact that sometimes she felt so lonely—wasn't she supposed to be the strong, don't-need-anyone-else kind of gal that she once thought herself to be? Perhaps her heart had finally been warmed to the idea of friendship, and now she was desperate to feel that sensation again—the feeling of knowing that you would always have someone there for you. Someone to put their arms around you and say it would all be alright._

_But Mai tried to ignore it as she started her life over again. She needed to be strong again, with a heart that could take the beatings ahead. Isn't that why she decided to go out on her own in the first place? To become strong, so that her heart could not be easily tempted to perform the foolish acts it had once done without thought?_

_But maybe it was to try and make sure she was ready to accept the blame for what she had done. After all, she had hurt Yugi and his tachi very much so with her betrayal—she could understand if they no longer trusted her. Especially Joey, as she had been the one to take away his soul in her own pain—she wondered if any of them would ever forgive her for her actions… that would be something to wait for, she supposed. As soon as she was brave enough to confront them, she would find out one of these days…. _

_It eased the pain, to have someone like Vivian to talk to. In fact, she was getting along much better than she could have anticipated—she found a job at a local casino as a waitress and when she wasn't busy she and Vivian would hang out for a time, perhaps even partaking in some dueling action on top of her apartment building just for fun. She had good pay, and a nice home—really, she had what she could ask for, and her life seemed to sailing along very smoothly._

_She strutted down the block, just another person in a swarm of millions. The amount of pedestrians that crowded the streets of Tokyo was simply an amazing and overwhelming sight, as though she were apart of something greater than herself. Of course, it was also annoying and not to mention an aggravation to try and get through. But she wasn't in a hurry today—just ambling along with everyone else, heading back to her apartment so as to finish the latte she bought at the local coffee shop in peace._

_She got caught up with the rush of the others around her, the sounds of cars honking and people arguing into their cell phones assaulting her ears harshly as she tried to drown them out with her thoughts. She past by several stores, one of them an electronics store with many television sets in the window, all of them on and displaying a news station with a very pretty looking anchorwoman._

_Mai barely paid attention as she past it by, just catching some of what the woman was saying as she sauntered through the crowd. The anchorwoman's voice seemed very distraught as she announced in a fervent tone: "Emergency news coverage… strange attacks on multiple cities across Japan… unknown source… further updates as more news comes in…." _

_Mai had hardly paid any notice to it as she continued to head back towards her apartment building, which was only a block or two from where she was now. Her mind was elsewhere, as she wondered if Vivian had the late night shift today. Mai hoped not, since tonight she felt like perhaps going out on the town for a little girl's night out. It was always more fun with Vivian, and the girl also had mace with her at all times—protection and entertainment, two for the price of one._

_She stopped with the rest of the crowd at a crossing, waiting for the sign to change so that they could all cross. Cars sped by, as if completely ignoring the speed limit as they went off to wherever they were heading in such a hurry. Mai started out absently, not thinking about much as she waited within the bustling groups of people, patiently awaiting the light to change._

_She had only heard the screams a moment later._

_They were distant, and barely distinguishable… Mai scarcely heard them over the commotion the city produced yet the sound of such wails made the hair on the back of her neck stand rigid. No one else seemed to hear them, and Mai looked around, a bit startled—was she the only one who heard such an atrocious sound?_

_Then the screams became louder and more distinct—there were several people involved in this. Mai's head whizzed around to glance behind her—there was something going down a few blocks away, and she could see the uproar it was creating there. Now there were other people who stood near her who were also glancing to where the screams could be heard—so now she knew she wasn't the only one. She could hear them whispering amongst themselves as more and more people began to take notice._

"_What's happening down there?"_

"_Was there an accident?"_

"_I hear screaming… do you hear that?"_

"_What was going on?"_

_Up ahead, Mai could see people were running. Running towards them, from whatever was going on a few blocks away. She squinted, trying to see what was causing so many people to suddenly start charging. She listened to their screams as they waved their arms frantically to them._

"_MONSTERS!"_

"_GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!"_

"_RUN! RUN, GODDAMNIT!" _

_This must have been the trigger for everyone, because the curiosity and nervousness suddenly broke into fear and panic. Out of nowhere, everyone around Mai started stampeding in the opposite direction of the yelling, which nearly knocked Mai over in the process. She caught herself from getting trampled, as she was still trying to see what it was that they were all running from._

_Fear built up inside of her—images danced through her thoughts of the Shadow Realm and of the monsters that took residence there. But that couldn't be possible—at least not again. Nothing evil had happened ever since the Orichalcos and those strange monsters that Dartz had conjured up were definitely not something Mai wanted to face ever again. She tried to imagine what could be making everyone try and escape—they had said that there were monsters… what the hell was going on? _

_But then she saw what they were running from: in the distance, an army of zombie-like men were trudging their way down the street from building to building—no car could pass through, as they were crowding the whole space. Mai tried to see how many there were, but all she saw was a sea of heads… a sea of heads with vacant eyes and lolling tongues. Mai felt herself bite back a scream of surprise. _

_They were walking together, all of these men in an army-like fashion that made Mai think of an invasion… were they under attack? But if they were, what was this, Dawn of the Dead? She felt herself breathe in faster—she was standing perfectly still, too stunned to move as people flew past her, trying to flee as fast as they could possibly go. She wondered what was so frightening about these men… until she saw the blood-stained clubs and metal pipes they gripped. Then her heart felt like it sank down into her stomach like a dead weight._

'_What are these guys?' she thought, her mind racing as she took a step back out of fear. 'Are t-they… are they killing people? What the hell is happening? What is going on?' She felt fearful for her own life, and she now knew one thing for sure:_

_She had to get the hell out of there. And fast._

_She turned around and started to run with everyone else—she thought about going to her apartment, but at this point she started to feel too frantic to even think about that. She just needed to escape, and that was all that mattered. The men were closing fast, despite their slow pace… their mass in numbers seemed quite large, and they looked like civilians from what Mai gathered as she occasionally glanced behind her. Whatever they were doing, they had enough people to do it, that was for sure._

_Mai was running, panting lightly as she dropped her latte to try and go faster—the contents leaked out as it hit the concrete while Mai pushed her way through the crowds of other panicking people. The energy of everyone around her seemed infectious, as she felt her own heart pounding strongly in her chest as her own breathing drew to a shallow inhale. She had to get away—something was wrong, and she had to get away…._

_She could hear other people screaming around her, yelling about monsters and strange blue lights. Mai couldn't pay consideration, though—she had to focus on running, on getting farther and farther away from the turmoil. To get away from the strange men… it wasn't until she heard the inhuman screech above her head that she realized this would be more difficult then she once thought._

_She gasped, as did a lot of the people around her as they froze to stare up at the sky. Though the blinding light of the sun did not help them they could see things flying through the air… silhouettes of people, with large black wings. There were several of them in a flock flying over their heads, soaring under the radiance of the sun._

_Mai felt her legs tremble beneath her… this had to be some sort of crazy dream, something that she would wake up from soon. But she knew that is she realized it were a dream, then it probably wasn't… but she could still pray that it was. _

_Regaining her composure she started to run again, pushing through the crowds as they all scrambled along with her to go somewhere, anywhere, as long as it wasn't here. She could see the army of zombies behind her as she glanced to that way, their eyes even more empty up close as she could hear their grunts and moans. Their eyes, the way they simply stared at her with such blankness, reminded her of seeing that stare once before—_

'_Wait, I've seen this look on Joey before!' she realized, as she remembered how he appeared under Malik's mind control when he fought against Yugi during Battle City. She remembered those same eyes, and the way they showed the depths of his empty soul… those same eyes stared at her now, and it only made her run even faster._

_She had to get away. Had to get away—_

_Mai suddenly felt her legs pull out from under her—she had been trying to run so fast that she stumbled on her own feet in haste. She fell to the ground, extending her left hand out to try and stop herself from falling but instead only injuring it. She crumpled on the sidewalk, struggling to get back on her feet in time…._

_Suddenly she was being yanked up from the ground by her hair—she winced as she felt the brutal action as her head was snapped up with her hair. She was brought to her feet, dangling just over the ground by a few inches as she kicked and fought to get down. Whoever was holding her, they must have been pretty strong to be able to hang her from her hair like this._

"_Let me go!" she snapped, as her hands reached up and held onto the arm that held her hair to stop them from pulling on her hair. She tried to get enough momentum in her legs to swing around and kick whoever restrained her—she heard a very giddy laugh, one that was deep and reminded her of psychotic mountain man who had just snapped a squirrel's neck. She felt the man breathe down her neckline, and she shivered at how disgusting it felt to feel such warm, muggy air against her skin._

"_I said, LET ME GO!" she shouted again. This time she gained enough sway to twist from where the man held her, slamming her legs into his torso. She heard him grunt as he released her, and Mai fell to the ground in a heap as she tried to regain her balance._

_Eventually Mai got to her feet, dusting herself off as she glanced over at the man who had grabbed her like that. He was a very big-boned guy, probably taller than her by a foot or so with arms as wide as her waist. Panting, Mai pushed some of her hair out of her face as she watched the guy regain his own balance—apparently she had enough force to knock some of the wind out of him. She smirked._

"_Don't… mess with me…" she huffed, before turning on her heel to start running again… or she would have, had it not been for the person who stood in front of her, blocking her path. She slammed into him, and gasped in surprise as her face hit his broad chest._

"_What the—" Before she could even figure out what she smacked into the man grabbed her right-hand wrist, his over-sized hands clamping down on it like a snare. Mai winced as she felt the circulation in that arm cut off, as she recovered and started to fight against who held her._

"_Hey, asshole!" she shouted between grunts as she pulled on her arm. "Let go of me!" There was silence as she looked up, to see another pair of vacant eyes looking back at her… the zombie obviously didn't intend on listening. She continued to yank and pull, but it was to no avail as less and less people ran past her, oblivious to what was happening to her as they ran for their own lives._

_Mai refused to give up at this point—like an animal caught in a trap, she would fight to the death to escape her restraints. Suddenly something must have clicked in the man, because in a swift motion he placed Mai in a headlock, using the arm that still held her wrist firm to pull her close to him as his other arm went around her neck to restrain her. _

_Mai yelped as he got a grip around her—some girls at this point may have started to cry, or whimper, or beg for their lives… but not Mai Valentine. Mai was not going to beg this goon for her life, and if that meant fighting, then so be it. She would be the one laughing last—that she could assure. So at this point, she did the only thing that she could thing of to do:_

_She opened her mouth, and clamped her teeth down into his arm. Hard._

_For the first time she got a reaction out of the man who held her—she heard him wince in pain as she kept her teeth biting into his rough skin. She pressed down even harder—she would not let go, not until this man released his grip on her. _

_But he didn't. To Mai's surprise she heard him curse, before his one hand freed her wrist so that he could raise it above her head, and slam it down…._

And that was it. Mai assumed that the guy had given her a good whack to the head, because everything had gone back after that. The next think she knew she was being thrown into this cell like a sack of rice, her head throbbing from the beating she endured. It had been an undignified way to enter, but she knew that everyone else had been treated the same way… as she looked around the cell again, she knew that all these people endured the same thing she did… the same strange invasion, and hostile takeover.

And everyone had enough sense not to question it either.

Well, everyone had enough sense after the first few raving lunatics were pulled from the cell down the hall, kicking and screaming in the arms of men who did not seem like men anymore. They were like shells, dead inside as they mechanically did their work without much thought.

Then as the hours past, most of the men had been taken from the prison cells as well—wives clung to their husbands, and children cried silently in the corners so as not to attract the attention of the guards. Even the sound of weeping brought them back, and they would drag the person away to somewhere beyond their cell, down the hall until their cries could no longer be heard, and they were never returned to the dungeon again. Never heard from after that.

Mai knew she was usually one to start complaining—if this had been a different circumstance, she would have demanded to know what was going on and where they were that instant. But once the first few people were removed, she lost the fight in her to find out—this time, it was far better to just stay quiet and wait, and hopefully they would be saved before she was taken away as well.

_If_ they were ever saved. Now Mai knew what was really happening—an ancient Egyptian princess with mind control powers was taking over the world, using men in armies to invade countries like Japan. And it seemed that they were in the dungeon of her palace in Egypt, being held for God-knows-what purpose as the world was being taken over. It wasn't a pleasant thought, but it was better than not knowing anything at all….

Mai sighed again—it seemed to be the only thing she could do in this dreadful place. She didn't bother stopping Kaiba as the brunette continued to check the prison, seeing if perhaps he could find a way out. She knew there was a point in trying, but she didn't feel like doing much of anything anymore… she was worried about Joey and Yugi and the others. She felt so scared for Wheeler—he was under her control too… was she using him to kill people? Was he already dead himself? Mai wanted to cry but her heart wouldn't let her… she was too strong to cry, too tough to think of tears at a time like this.

She couldn't show such weakness now—she had to be strong, in case there was something that she could do to help them all somehow….

Scuffling. She could hear the sound of footfalls from down the hall, where the guards always came from. Quickly she hissed to Kaiba.

"Get down!" she whispered harshly. Kaiba turned to glare at her, only meeting the slight annoyance and panic in her violet stare. "Sit down, or they'll take you!" Without thinking she leaned over and yanked firmly on Kaiba's purple trench coat, successfully bringing the CEO tumbling to the floor as he had not been expecting that. He landed in a crouched position, glaring daggers at Mai.

"What the hell was that for—" he started, but he was interrupted by screams coming from the hall. Both of them turned to look at the hall beyond the metal bars, as the sounds of the screaming and footsteps became louder and more defined. At first the cries were simply incoherent, but as the prisoner and the guards started to near the cell from down the hallway, Mai could make out what the person was shouting.

"Please! Please…j-just let me… go!" It was a girl, and for some reason the sound of her voice sounded awfully familiar… Mai tried to recall whose voice she was remembering but only came back with a fuzzy recollection. "I-I want my mom! Please… _please, I-I j-j-just want my mom! _Take me back—I want m-my mom, TAKE ME BACK!"

"Oh my God…" Mai covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide. Suddenly she remembered who that voice belonged to! Seto just stared out at the bars, his face one of slight indifference as he watched the three figures suddenly come into view.

Two were guards, of that Mai could see from the fact that they were dragging the girl behind them by her arms. Both were men, and both had cold looks in their empty eyes—obviously two of that princess's slaves. The third figure was the young woman who had been crying out—and still was—as they pulled her, her back sliding against the floor as they gripped her arms like ropes to a sled. She was giving them a good fight for her freedom, her body lashing out as she kicked and violently thrashed around on the ground, trying to break loose. Her auburn hair whipped around her as her body jerked in struggle, covering her face messily as she continued to cry.

"N-NO, please, LET ME GO! I just want my mom, I just, I just, PLEASE! NOOO!" Then her cried turned into inhuman screams and whimpers as the men simply continued on their way to the door of Mai and Kaiba's cell, as one of them paused to pull out a rusted key from their pocket and place it in the keyhole. The door opened with a whine, as most old hinges do, as the two slaves took their female burden and, without much consideration, just dragged her into the cell. They released her arms, and the girl flopped uselessly onto the floor, her body trembling in fear and shock—without even looking or doing much else they both turned on their heels and exited, closing and locking the cell door firmly behind them as they then marched back down the hall, their footsteps in time with each other as they grew fainter and fainter, until they could no longer be heard over the whimpers of the new cellmate.

It was a young woman, of that they knew already with long ginger hair that came down to about her waist. She was wearing a white t-shirt with a logo for a clothing brand, but it was now stained with dirt from being dragged on the floor—her tan cargo pants were also like this, but were somewhat ripped and torn around the bottom near her pink and grey sneakers, which looked as if they had been placed in a nuclear waste basket for an hour. All in all, the person was an overall mess.

"I… I just want…" The girl kept on blabbering as she panted from all her screaming, sniffling and stuttering and she struggled to get onto her knees. Her arms shook as her ginger hair fell over her face to shadow it. "I… just want… my mom… om… I want… w-want… I want my… Big B-Brother…."

"Serenity…" Mai breathed out, her eyes wider than dinner plates as she stared at the girl who continued to shiver on the ground, whimpering and crying desperately. None of the other prisoners neared her, instead just staring at her with a sort-of pity that showed no signs of helping her whatsoever. Mai was almost too stunned to believe what she was seeing.

_It's… It's Joey's sister! Serenity!_ she thought as she watched the girl with terrified eyes. She hadn't seen Serenity since Battle City, and she remembered her to be such a nice girl… she always used to wonder how a numbskull like Joey could have such a sweet, and polite sibling like that. To see such an angel of a girl crumpled up on the floor bawling her eyes out… Mai felt her heart break, as it sank down from her chest. How could anyone hurt someone like this?

"Serenity…" she whispered again, first to herself, but then she called out the name, a little louder so as to get her attention. "Serenity!" At hearing the mention of her name, the girl looked up, her eyes just barely visible underneath her bangs as they covered her tear-stained face. Mai could see that they were red and filled with tears as the girl bit back another loud sob. She saw who had called her, and she was silent for a moment, her cries ceasing for but a minute as if trying to figure out if what she was seeing before her was really real or not.

"M-Mai…?" She asked shakily, her eyes growing wide as another fresh stream of tears escaped them. As if finding her second wind, Serenity tried to get to her feet, failing miserably as she found no strength in her wobbling legs to stand. Instead she sort of crawled, on her hands and knees as she neared Mai with an almost stupefied awe, like she were seeing a ghost. "Is… is th-that… really y-you?"

Mai nodded. "It's me, hon… it's me." As if this justified her concerns Serenity suddenly flung herself at the blonde, wrapping her arms around the older woman as she buried her face into her. The sobbing started again, this time muffled into Mai's jacket as it instantly became soaked with tears. Though Mai was surprised at first by the action, she instantly took to the embrace, placing her hand gently on Serenity's head as she stroked it softly, trying to calm the girl down. "Shhhh…" she assured her. "It's okay, girl. You're safe."

Meanwhile Kaiba watched the entire event without ever changing his facial expression—he wore the same cold, unfeeling stare as he watched the girl be dragged in and then fly into Mai's arms with eyes red from too much crying. Up close he finally realized who this girl was.

_It's the mutt's little sister, another Wheeler…_he commented to himself as he watched the teen weep into Mai Valentine's jacket, her sobs making his stomach turn. Mai was trying to help her, but she continued to whimper like a frightened child… a frown tugged at Kaiba's face. _Her screaming is making my head throb again… if she would just shut up already—_

For some reason a thought of Mokuba passed through his mind as he said that, and an image of the boy's eyes filled with tears as he cried out for Seto to find him and save him came too. He wasn't sure why, until he realized what Serenity was mumbling into Mai as she cried.

"I… I want… Joey… where's… Joey…I need… my Big Brother…."

…_She's just like Mokuba would be for me…_, he thought, a hint of pity in his inner voice that never met his eyes as he stared coldly at the two. And as soon as the sympathy was there it had vanished, and Kaiba got up from where he sat on the ground to go examine the door that the guards had brought Serenity through, hoping to find a way out before the damn girl's crying drove him nuts.

Mai continued to sit with Serenity, though—after a while she didn't care if her jacket was entirely soaked or if she had become a human tissue. It had been so long since she had seen Joey's sister that it was almost nice to have the simple comfort of her presence, even if she was feeling so terrible. It was the least Mai could do for her now, by trying to make her feel a little better.

After a bit, Serenity's cries became less erratic and only became slight sobs, her breathing starting to go back to normal as she stopped clinging to Mai and soon sat beside her, laying her head on the older woman's shoulder. Things were silent between them as Mai continued to shush her, using a calm voice that she never knew she had to soothe the younger girl.

"Serenity?" she asked, looking down as she noticed that the girl wasn't whimpering near as much as before. The auburn-haired teen looked up, her hazel eyes meeting Mai's caring violet ones as she wiped away some of her tears.

"Y-Yeah Mai?" she asked, still stuttering a bit as she had not completely gotten a hold of herself. The blonde smiled a bit, trying to make Serenity feel more at ease.

"Do you feel better now?" she asked. Serenity nodded uncertainly.

"I… I guess…" she whispered. She then brought her knees up to her face, curling them up as she wrapped her arms around her legs. "… I think so…."

"Well, that's good" said Mai. Her gaze returned to staring in front of her, looking at nothing in particular. "Those men didn't hurt you, right?"

"No, they just dragged me" Serenity answered, her chin resting on her knees. "Just dragged me, out of a cell somewhere else. It was a few halls down, I think."

Mai nodded absently. "Good, because if they did I'd have to show them not to mess with innocent young girls like you. They wouldn't be able to walk again if I got a hold of them. Or if your big brother got there first." Mai chuckled a little, imagining how Joey would always make sure Tristan knew his boundaries, and the poor sap just flirted with the girl. Surely he would probably go as far as sending those goons to a hospital if they hurt Serenity.

The chuckle only lasted so long, as she soon remembered what had happened to Joey. After that, she didn't exactly feel like laughing anymore.

"Serenity, do you know why you were dragged out of your old cell?" Mai tried to change the subject, not wanting to give Serenity an opening to ask where her older brother was… Mai really didn't feel like telling her that her brother was now currently a servant to the person who held them captive. It could wait until the girl was more stable.

Serenity was silent for a moment, before answering. "Not… really. I was with my mom and then the guards just came in and pulled me away from her… I kept screaming and kicking but they would let me go and this one guy, he smacked Mom in the face because she tried to get me back… I don't know what's going on, I just want my mom back, I just, I just want her back—"

"Shhh… I understand…." Serenity started to cry again at the mention of her mother, and Mai tried her best to keep the girl from weeping like she did before. She patted Serenity on the back gently, assuring her that everything was okay. "It's alright, sweetie, everything's fine… we'll get your mom back, okay?"

Serenity stopped her sniffling for a moment and looked back at Mai with big hazel eyes. "R-Really? You'll help?"

Mai nodded. "Of course. I know Joey would want me to help you if he couldn't, and I would want to anyways. Heh… maybe we could get Kaiba to help too" she gestured to the brunette as he continued to look over the bars, kicking one experimentally to see if it would budge. Serenity looked up too, and Mai noted that a small smile came across her face.

"But I thought my Big Brother and Kaiba never got along…" she mused. Mai smirked a little, flipping back some of her blonde curls.

"Well, maybe if we warmed his heart up a little he could quit acting like such a jerk… though it's probably destined to fail, I know it." Mai chuckled a little, and to her pleasure she heard Serenity give a nervous giggle as well. Kaiba took no notice, and that only made the two laugh a little more that he didn't even realize they were talking about him.

They would have continued to smile had they not heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Mai's eyes widened in fear, as she silenced Serenity and tried to gesture to Kaiba to get away from the door.

"_Get back here_!" Mai hissed. Kaiba looked over at her, his eyes asking why-should-I-take-orders-from-you? Then his eyes glanced at the hall as the footsteps became louder, and he continued to stand there, watching the oncoming person for when they would be revealed from the shadows. Mai wanted to mentally slap him, as she finally got onto her feet to approach him.

"_Kaiba_!" she whispered, taking a tentative step forward to try and drag the stubborn CEO back before the guards could find a reason to hurt him… more likely than not Kaiba was probably planning to institute an attack against one in ambush, if he could reach his hand out of the cell far enough to grab one of the men.

He would be a goner for sure if he did that, and failed.

The footsteps came closer, signaling that the guards would soon walk past the cell—Mai knew that she would have to literally leap forward to reach Kaiba, and even then the chaos that would make would surely draw the servants' attention. She could hear more than one set of footfalls—if Kaiba failed this they had enough men to take him away, wherever they took the rebelling people. Mai froze where she was walking, unsure if she really wanted to risk her life on this too.

She needed to stay with Serenity, and make sure that the girl was safe….

The guards finally came into view, walking out from the shadows that the hall produced. Mai stopped in mid-step, her eyes shooting up to glance at who was coming—

It was something she could not have expected… something she never wanted to happen. Why did fate drive upon her such a cruel fortune?

She knew that she would never know, as she stared like a deer caught in headlights at the blonde who stood on the other side of the bars, vacant honey-brown eyes now boring a hole through her head, as empty as could be, as _dead_ as she could ever see….

She gasped, though she tried not to, and the one word that she didn't want to say escaped her lips fell out nonetheless… she placed her hand over her mouth but it was too late, she knew he had heard her. She prayed that it wasn't, tried to blink away the image, but he was still there, still standing there.

Still watching her with dead honey-brown eyes.

"Joey…."

---

Author's Note: _YAY! Mai and Kaiba AND Serenity! And Joey! … No, wait… Joey's a BAD thing… yeah._

_So, everyone like that chapter? I know, I do spoil you guys with so many updates of this story, but what can I say? You spoil me with all your reviews! (That doesn't mean stop it means bring me MORE!)_

_Whenever you have to imagine me think of the plant from Little Shop of Horrors, yelling "FEED ME!" Except I like reviews… not other things…._

_Okay, well, I await you guys with your reviews! _


	67. Everlasting Memories

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _You know what I realized? This story is no longer so much action/adventure and romance as it seems to be angst. I mean, really, it is becoming SO depressingly tragic… but still SO good…. _

_I'm hoping that you guys think so too. But don't worry, happy endings approach in the far future (I say "far" because I really have no estimate as to what chapter this story will end at… I have an ending I just have no idea when exactly we will reach it….) Until then, just enjoy the sadness and anguish that has become this story!_

_People who care about this story enough to actually tell me they like it:_

**Isis the Sphinx**, **ANZU&ATEMU FAN, feyannabellee, SeleneXAngel, Maridel, spiritfire, inuyashagirl22** _and_ **becca**.

_I glomp all of you, because you make my day! _:D

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics… and all that jazz. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 67: Everlasting Memories….**

Odion watched the scene before him, complete and utter horror written on his face as clearly as the hieroglyphs on his left side.

The leader sank his fangs into Miss Ishizu's neck, piercing her skin so that blood started to brim from the wound. Odion could hear Miss Ishizu gasp, a look of horror on her face as her struggled turned into shivers of revulsion—she continued to try and wiggle her way out the brunette's grip, but her fighting started to become weaker and weaker, as the man began to drink the crimson life force that started to flow from the bite mark.

Odion, though at first too stunned to move as he watched the ghastly action unfold, now found panic from watching Miss Ishizu suffer. He had to protect her, as he would Master Malik for her—he knew that Master Malik would be devastated if his sister was injured… he had but one thing on his mind, and that was to rescue Miss Ishizu… to save what might be left of his family.

He struggled against the two men that restrained him, and they were forced to grip him harder as he thrashed about, pulling against them as hard as he could. His eyes burning with determination, he tried his hardest to shake the two men off… if only he had enough strength to do so. He prayed to Ra with all his might, to give him the power he needed right now, to save one of the few people who actually cared for him, when no one else did.

Who thought of him as more than the abandoned child on the doorstep of the Ishtar clan.

The brunette officer did not let go—like a leech he continued drain from Ishizu, and she moaned listlessly as she continued to try and escape. Her eyes heavy-lidded, she could barely put up a fight as her focus began to give way to hazy darkness… before consciousness was taken from her as easily as her blood.

The leader seemed to have taken his fill, because he promptly removed his lips from her throat and licked them, removing the any excess he had missed in his messy feeding. He grinned, as if pleased with himself—it could even be seen in his empty white eyes.

"Well, that was tasty…" he admitted. Then, without much thought or consideration, he released Ishizu from his grasp, and her body fell limply onto the sand. Odion's eyes widened as the curator slumped over, falling off to the side with blood still dripping from her neck. She lay still, unmoving as Odion stared at her.

"Miss… Ishizu…" he breathed out, his body trembling a little as he saw her flop uselessly onto the sand. Blood flowed lazily from where the man bit her, dripping into a puddle beside her throat. Slowly dripping, staining the golden sand.

_Drip. Drip. Drip_.

"… Ishizu…." Something inside of Odion clicked suddenly—the sight of his Master's sister, lying on the ground unconscious and at the mercy of these monsters… he couldn't stop himself. With a strength unknown to even him he gave his arms a final yank, sending the two men who had been holding him flying forward and onto their backs, stunned. He did not bother with them, though, as he dashed like a madman towards the leader, anger clearly in his stance as he was suddenly upon the man, hands around the vampire's neck as his eyes flared with an untamed rage. The vampire appeared surprised, and maybe even a hint frightened as Odion looked as if he could bite his head off if he cared to.

"Hey bloake, relax!" the man said, a bit of panic in his voice. "I didn't take a lot, the bitch'll live… I think."

"…Wrong answer" Odion hissed, before, in one sudden motion taking his hands and using them to firmly grip the leader's neck, before abruptly twisting them to create a sickening _crack_.

The other soldiers were poised to attack, but had a somewhat respect for their official and did not dare attack at such a close proximity to him. However, the sound of the leader's neck being broken was enough to have some of them stunned into submission—the majority of them gaped as Odion them released his grasp on the brunette, and the man fell to the ground like Ishizu had, except it was obvious what is condition was judging by how his head was turned at an angle that wasn't exactly "humanly possible".

Odion stood up straight, and turned to look at the other soldiers—though his manner was now calm and collected, the inferno that was his rage was still fuming inside of him like a wildfire, and its heat dared to burn anyone who opposed.

"Is there anyone else who would like to join _him_?" Odion gestured to the form of the vampire leader, his eyes still open as they glazed over, appearing like glass orbs. There was silence amongst the attackers, before the many of them bolted for the jeep in haste, dropping their weapons in the frenzy.

Without even thinking about it, the Tomb Keeper dove for his pistol, which still lay in the sand where it had been dropped by him before—as if he had known how to use a gun his whole life Odion fired bullets from revolver, hardly missing a single slave as they arched their backs in surprise, before slumping over one by one. Like dominos each one fell, a bullet lodged in them from behind, and not a single one even made it to their vehicle.

All was quiet for a little while, the echo of the shots still ringing in ears as Odion stood up from the ground, dusting the sand off his robes as he surveyed all the death he had caused. At least now no one would try to follow Miss Anzu and the Thief King from behind now, and even so they must have a good length of speed between them now. Odion could rest easy on that matter—perhaps for them and the world, there would be hope once again.

Quickly his thoughts soon rested on more pressing matters—that of Miss Ishizu and the enemy in his wake. He rushed over to the former first, checking to make sure that her pulse was fine, which he was relieved to know that it was. Her breathing was normal, perhaps a bit shallow but still, nothing for him to be concerned with. She had just been knocked unconscious, but she should be okay once she regained enough blood.

Then he walked over to where the leader still lay on the sand. He gave his head a light kick, and at seeing no motion he felt somewhat comforted. However, images raced through his mind of when Bakura had thought that this man had been slain, only to watch him rise from the dead again with even more unholy prowess. He could not be a fool to accept the same mistake twice.

He dashed to the cavern, now abandoned save the few dead or unconscious bodies strewn around from the previous battle. His thoughts then traveled to where the majority of their stuff was—the food, and the supplies, which he then recalled were still in the jeep. He headed to the vehicle. Searching through the trunk until he found what he was looking for:

Miss Ishizu's box matches. The ones she had been using to make their fires.

He trudged back to the body of the vampire leader, standing over it as he noticed the real damage he had done to the man's neck. It looked as if the vertebrate had been removed from him, leaving his neck to flop in whichever way it desired—bile rose a little in Odion's throat at the thought, and he stifled the urge to vomit. He had to get this done.

Removing a matchstick from the box, he flicked it across the box, trying to get it to light. The first time he swiped it the match only hissed, giving off a small blue glow before fading out into nothing. Worried, Odion tried once more—this time the match flared up, hissing as it then erupted with a golden flame that danced between Odion's fingers. Odion didn't realize how flammable the match was, as quickly started to burn up—before it could singe his fingers, he dropped it onto the vampire leader, and then waited for him to catch fire.

It didn't take very long—only a moment after the match made contact the body took to the flame, a large _swoosh_ sound made as the flames grew, digesting the air around it to give it more strength. The leader did not move, but Odion thought he could see his eye try to blink—his body was attempting to heal itself from the neck injury, but Odion would never let him have such a chance. He would burn it to ashes before it could recover, and Odion doubted that his vampire blood could heal him after _that_.

He took Miss Ishizu into his arms and placed her a safe distance from the flames, as he brought her closer to the jeep and the cavern. He was thankful to know that she was fine… at least he could keep the people that mattered to him safe. There was nothing else left for him in the world but this—he had only so much to live for, and he would protect those things with all of his might. There was no other option for a person such as himself.

He did not know of the other men he had slain, and if they were vampires or not—but there was always a chance, and it was far better to be safe then terribly sorry. He left Miss Ishizu to recover under the open night sky, as he past by the burning inferno that was once the leader of this troop, with a scowl on his grim face, and unlit matches in his hand.

---

Anzu sat quietly in the car seat beside Bakura, the desert wind ruffling her hair as they continued to drive on through the endless wasteland to what would hopefully lead to their destination: Samira's dark palace.

It had been quiet ever since Bakura finished telling his story, where he sent a messenger to the High Priests of the Pharaoh to tell of the whereabouts of Princess Samira, and how he watched her be dragged away from her fortress with her screaming for his help.

And how cold he felt to not even register her cries.

Anzu felt her heart tremble a little in sorrow for the poor Tomb Robber… she had known his life to be tragic—thus leading him to a future of darkness as he took to helping the god Zorc and trying to destroy the Pharaoh—but she never knew the _other_ side to his story… the one where is heart had been turned to ice, and broken into tiny crystal shards.

To think the Thief King had the ability to love, and to love a vampire princess no less! From the way he wove their tale it almost seemed like they really had loved each other, but to have Samira change his soul and then attempt to kill him the way she had… now Anzu understood why Bakura was so ruthless and unforgiving. Even if his heart were not made of glass and ice he still would not love, simply because he had been destroyed long ago by an evil temptress.

_It must be hard for him, to have to remember all of this again_, Anzu thought to herself, shifting uncomfortably in her seat as she stared out at the desert bathed in iridescent moonlight… no clouds swam across the sky, so the full moon was able to fully unleash its light upon the sands of Egypt. Anzu gazed up at the twinkling stars around it, thinking hard about all the things that Bakura had told her.

Meanwhile, the Thief King could not be so lucky as to simply think—he now had his hikari to tell the painful story to, though it wasn't as painful since his heart was still too numb to feel such a thing. Ryou had a better chance of understanding him than Anzu, because within his mind Bakura showed Ryou the images, visualized the memories for him, so that he could witness what had happened as if he were watching the event through Bakura's eyes. And Ryou could see, as Bakura's old memories started to come to a close, the pain-stricken face of Samira as the royal guards dragged her away, as she looked over to him and begged for him to help her… but in the realm of the shadows, no one helps you… you only help yourself.

It was that thought that made Ryou shiver, as Samira's piercing eyes met his in the memory. Bakura could sense his light become uneasy, and he smirked inwardly.

_Is this all too much for you, yadonushi?_ he taunted darkly into Ryou's soul. He could sense the teen catching what he meant and he felt Ryou bristle at his words.

_I'm not weak, if that's what you mean, Thief King_, Ryou answered harshly. So many times Bakura had intimidated him so, but now that things with the Pharaoh were all said and done he knew that Bakura did not have so much power over him. He felt the need to try and dominant Bakura… a need that the Tomb Robber obviously sensed, because Ryou could hear his malicious chuckle echo in his ears.

_I'm sure you aren't… if you were I would have crushed you by now_. He laughed in his head, making Ryou cover his ears from the loud and demonic sound. _So consider your self lucky…._

Bakura then shut himself off from his hikari, leaving Ryou to stay within his soul room to ponder everything that he had been shown. In reality, Bakura had diluted some of the images so that his host would not be seen some of his more private memories… or the most gruesome ones. He understood his hikari, and he knew where the boy stood on such things… though he would have liked to torture him with imagery that could probably be rated as NC-17 by movie standpoints, he didn't have the heart in him right now to do so. There were far more important things for him to think about… he could save the fun of torment for a safer time.

His mind drifted to Samira, to her tanned face with her tempting smile and shadowed eyes… his memories were so fresh from seeing her again, back at the cavern and the museum. He now remembered how she sounded when she cackled, and when she hissed in defiance at anything opposing her. He could now recall the gleam in her crimson eyes where as before he thought he had buried the memory deep within himself, where it would never be found again.

To think, he thought he had forgotten her memory… with his heart as cold as ice he need not remember her, pushing her to recesses of his mind as he focused upon his life-long goal of revenge… his goal both before and after Samira entered his life. She was a burden to him no longer, just a harsh thought from his past that no else knew, and that no should have ever known about. But with her return he had to face the truth—she was never gone, always in his heart… and if only he could remove her from it forever, maybe he would finally find some peace of mind.

Maybe, he could finally be free from the invisible chains that bound him to her memory.

He got caught up in his own thoughts for a while, simply watching the sand dunes ahead for any sign of the oncoming palace… so much so that he didn't realize that Anzu was calling out to him until around the third time.

"Bakura?" she asked, and as his head turned so that he could look upon her he noticed the hesitance in her voice. He smirked, knowing that she was still a bit scared of him, which he enjoyed very much so. It was always good to keep the feeling of fear alive… he had always liked being revered in terror.

"What?" he snapped, a frown now tugging at his face as he did not like being interrupted from his own thoughts. His ashen hair flew behind him like white silk, glowing under the light of the celestial moon… he could almost be described as appearing like an angel, but Anzu could see that such a portrayal would never meet his cold dirt-colored eyes.

Anzu frowned as well, toying with her seat belt as she cleared her throat. "Um, I've been thinking about what you said, and I've realized that… you never really explained to me how all of that history leads up to why you kissed me. You _really_ have not told me yet why that was…."

Bakura huffed, as if slightly annoyed. "Great, more explaining. Do you really want to listen to me rant on about why things are the way they are?"

"Well, if it comes to why your tongue snaked into my mouth that night, I think I might be willing to pay attention." Anzu tried not to snap at the Thief King, but she was unable to remove the bite from her words—that was the whole reason why she had asked about the incident, and she still had not received an answer. She felt that she had every right to be a bit irritated… but snapping at the Tomb Robber was never a wise move, as she had learned from all her little adventures thus far.

Bakura's eyes narrowed when she used the tone of voice that she did, but then they seemed to laugh at her a little contemptuously. It appeared that he took pleasure in her showing she could have some backbone against someone as dangerous as he.

"All right… but if you had been paying attention to the details before then maybe we wouldn't be having this conversation," sneered Bakura, his eyes back on the landscape before him. "But here is what you need to know… you remember how I specifically said how Samira had enchanted me so that my heart would be frozen and my emotions null?"

Anzu nodded. "Sure, you told me."

"And also how, if I needed her to, she was the one who had the ability to remove such a spell from me since she was the one who cast it?"

"Um, yeah…." Anzu was following, but so far things were not piecing together.

Bakura sighed heavily. "Well, there are usually drawbacks to undoing such powerful hexes. For this one, by removing the magic from my system or weakening its hold on my heart, the emotions that I have kept frozen since the casting will be released… this spell does not eliminate emotions, it simply holds them back, like one of those stupid dams your modern society has for their rivers. And if Samira chose to, she could undo the spell anytime she likes, freeing all of my feelings that have been stagnate for as long as the curse has been upon me…."

Anzu listened, not understanding at first, but then as the last few words were processed her eyes widened a little in realization.

"So, if she undid the magic now—"

"She would be releasing all of my emotion over the course of five thousand years. A literal flood from my heart, gushing out until they have all been poured from me" Bakura answered solemnly. "And five thousand years without emotions is a long time… if she were to perform such an act on me right now, my heart would be overloaded with so many emotions that I would probably kill myself to stop the torture.

"**That** is why I have protected you and helped you to bring back that rainbow-haired palace brat… to kill Samira, before she gets such a thought in her head. I know that she has probably wanted revenge upon me for the last five thousand years of her death, and it would be to her delight to see me wither away in agony. I want to send her back to the grave myself but… I know that the instant I get too close she'll undo the spell and have the opportunity to watch me die, maybe even get a little snack out of me while she's at it. And I can't allow her that pleasure." Bakura's hands had a death grip on the steering wheel now, as his teeth were bared slightly in frustration at the thought. Anzu wanted to ask him more questions, but then he continued, cutting her off.

"Ever since she saw me back at the museum, I have felt… feelings again. I know what she has been doing—she is gradually opening my heart, tormenting me slowly before she releases it all out upon me. When you and I sat together in the desert, it was at that moment that she decided it was best to rip my heart open some more, and let some of my emotions become free again. I tried to stop you from getting close, but you were just too stubborn and caring to listen….

"I knew what was coming. All the love I had for Samira, all of my frustrations and lust and confusion… that was what I felt burning in my heart. If you knew how painful it was then you would probably have strangled yourself to stop the hurting. As for me, with so many memories of Samira flowing through me, I did one of the few things that I had been craving to do for over five thousand years—I kissed, and unfortunately you were there, close enough for me to do so. Not because I like you—in fact, I actually _hate_ you—or because I have anything feelings related to you… all of the pain I felt made me confused, and I did one of the only things my heart would let me do…. Even if I was absolutely disgusted at the time about it.

"There, that's it. Does it answer your question?" Bakura hissed, a sudden fire in his eyes that made Anzu go completely silent. She nodded nervously, and Bakura turned his eyes back to driving, a scowl still present on his face.

Anzu bit back the urge to question him further—she had gotten her answer, and that was as far as she decided she should go. At that moment Bakura looked as if he could burn a hole through her head with lasers coming out of his eyes… not something Anzu wanted to experience right about now.

Really, it seemed as though Bakura was becoming desperate for them to bind Samira away again… now Anzu knew why. If Samira did finally get the chance, she would undo the spell on Bakura's heart, having waves upon waves from an ocean of pent-up feelings flood over the albino thief. Anzu understood the massive impact that would take on the tomb robber's heart, as she could only imagine what kind of emotions he had been keeping locked away for so long… guilt, sadness, rage, misery, jealousy, love… all those things, over the course of five thousand years, building and fuming and concentrating, all into a large massive explosion that might literally break his heart—

Anzu inwardly winced at the thought, not wanting to imagine such a terrible thing. Still, for him to have such strong emotions that against his will would compel him to _kiss her_, Anzu could only wonder what effect it would have if his heart were opened even further, maybe even completely freed… that must have been why he was so secretive about the whole affair. He didn't need to be reminded anymore of his fate then anyone else.

Still, she wished that she knew this _before_ Bakura had placed his lips to hers—things would have made a lot more sense, and at least no one would have questioned Bakura's loyalty anymore than they already had… but it could never be so easy. Bakura would never have revealed such a secret, such a _weakness_, about himself to anyone. Anzu was sure that she must have been one of the lucky few to obtain such information, besides Ryou—but even Ryou knew little about his yami, so for him to say anything of his nature or past was actually a step in the right direction. Anything that could help her against Samira would be of a great assistance.

Like perhaps where her palace was. Anzu peered out onto the desert landscape—which reminded Anzu of the surface of the moon from the way the nocturnal light made it glow of a silvery brilliance of white, grey, and shadow. From all directions, the best thing she could see would be the sand dunes, and that was all her vision was limited to. There was no sign of a palace whatsoever.

"Bakura?" she asked quietly, so much so that she could barely hear herself. Nonetheless, she could hear Bakura snort.

"What is it now?"

"Um, do you even know where you're going?" Anzu inquired, and there was a pause for a moment before the air was filled with Bakura's dark laughter. Anzu watched him as he obviously enjoyed her question, taking it as a joke of sorts.

Finally he managed to speak. "Well, I don't think I have ever heard a question that was dumber than that!" he exclaimed, making Anzu glare. "Perhaps from the mutt boy and his friend, but still… of course I know where I'm going! What makes you question it?"

"The fact that we have been traveling through endless desert for what feels like an hour" Anzu replied flatly. Bakura only ignored her angry stares and snippy voice.

"Well, that's how long it could take… be patient, do you really want to get there so quickly?"

"YES!" she shouted, now wanting to smack the thief as she listened to his sarcastic voice trail through her ears and chuckle in her thoughts. She growled as he smirked.

"So do I, so relax already" he assured her, his eyes still to the front. Anzu gazed where he was looking, and only saw endless sand.

"But, _how_ do you know where you're going?" Anzu asked. "Can you sense her from far away or something?"

"Perhaps" Bakura said coyly. Then he tapped on something underneath the car radio. Anzu looked to see that it was a very high-tech grid screen, like something one would se on a navy submarine or with one of those GPS finders. It glowed a bright green, and there were three dots on it, one of them moving towards one of the other dots, which happened to be larger. "Or, it could be this fancy little tracking system for navigation that just happens to be here. And I'll assume that we are the moving dot."

"…Oh…" was the only thing Anzu could say as she gaped at the machine. Where did an Ancient Egyptian vampire princess get such technology in such a short time? She continued to admire the screen, until she noticed that on the upper right-hand corner was the insignia for KaibaCorp… now it made a lot more sense.

"She borrowed this from Kaiba…" Anzu said, and Bakura then took a curious look at what Anzu was seeing. Upon noticing the KaibaCorp insignia he gave a satisfied grin, before turning back to the front to drive. "Ah, now it makes sense" he said. "Must have been when she got a hold of him before… figures she'd think of something like that. She always was clever."

Anzu nodded absently. Bakura did talk fondly of Samira sometimes, his memories obviously not all war and pain. It sounded as if Samira had brought some life to him when she played his friend and lover… it seemed as if he had truly been in love with her, from the way he mentioned her name in such high regard. But then there were times that he could only spit out her name as if he were saying a taboo on a dare. There were moments when Anzu wondered what he really thought about Samira, if his heart really despised or loved her. What did he really think when he remembered her name?

Anzu sighed—so much thinking about Bakura, when she should really be focused on what she should do for Atemu. After all, what was her plan for when they arrived at his sister's palace? To just barge in, or perhaps a sneak attack? Did Samira know that they were coming? Anzu wondered if the witch would just let them come or if there would be a firing squad meeting them upon arrival… Anzu swallowed hard at the thought of seeing a hundred or so guns pointed at her and Bakura, though she could only assume that Bakura would just laugh maniacally and run those soldiers over in a heartbeat.

That relieved some of the worry, but Anzu's thoughts drifted then to Atemu, to the pharaoh who was now at the mercy of his vampiric sister… or at least, that was what Anzu knew, and she only hoped that Atemu understood as well. Maybe he was fighting her at this very moment, or maybe he had already won… but if he had, the sense of dread that rumbled inside of Anzu failed to cease otherwise. What was happening over there? And if it was something bad, could she make it to Atemu in time?

Of course, it's not like she could really _do_ anything to help him—what was she but a regular teenage girl who just happened to be friends with a reincarnated pharaoh and his darker past self whom she had a serious crush upon? _They_ were the ones with all the Shadow Magic and the courage to use it… she was just, a normal, regular, plain person, with not an ounce of magic to her name. Of what use would she be to the Pharaoh?

She heard a soft chiming noise, and felt a glowing warmth at her chest—looking down she saw her own cartouche radiating a light as soft and as mystical as the moon's, and her eyes softened as she stroked the pendant under her fingertips.

Yes, this was her magic, her power to help them—it may not have been much, but Anzu now realized that she qualified as something more than just an average teenage girl. After all, _she_ was the one to revive the Pharaoh back to this world to face danger once again, so she had to be good for _something_. And even if she didn't have any special gifts or brute strength, should it matter? She simply had to help her friends, whether she was strong or not—it was her duty, her destiny, her purpose. There was no way she could face life again if she knew she hadn't the bravery to do this for them when they had helped her so many times before.

_Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Atemu…_she thought to herself …_I'll find you guys, and I'll save you._

_I don't know how, or when and if I can, but I'll do it for you, all of you. Just wait for me… I'm coming, guys._

_I'm coming_.

---

Author's Note: _YAY! Another chapter down before I go and visit my relatives (boo!). And I had no idea that so many of you lived in Texas! Wow, that's so cool, I wish I could see you guys, which would be both neat and really strange, but that would be nearly impossible, and my mom would kill me. (sniffle) _

_Hopefully I can get another chapter done before I head off to Dallas, but that's for me to see on Monday. The weekends are always busy for me (busy as in, my parents don't have work so I am unable to sneak onto computer for long hours), so I'll only have Monday and that's it. And I might be packing, but again, I'll see what I can come up with._

_I didn't see nearly enough reviews this time around, and it's been a day or so since I posted. What happened, guys? Click the review button, FOR ME! I know you wanna!_

_My reviewers rock, I love you guys! To the rest of you, R x R! _


	68. Undoing the Past

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Ah, a few more reviews from last time. I know that some of you have school and stuff (school starts for me in three weeks, so I'm safe… for now) so I understand if you can't make it to review right now. Just promise you'll do it later, 'kay?_

_Reviewers who rock my socks:_

**SeleneXAngel, inuyashagirl22, Hikari2, Peeps1993, spiritfire, Maridel, ANZU&ATEMU FAN, Isis the Sphinx, **_and_** becca. **

_Now, to get back to Atemu, Samira, and our precious little YUGI! Let's see if he gets saved already, shall we?_

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics… and all that jazz. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 68: Undoing the Past….**

"…I will make the world fitting for Mother's legacy, so that when the time is right, and the Blood Moon rises over the sands of Egypt, Mother will return to this world as the true **Queen of the Vampires**!" Samira said, rising from her throne with her glass in hand, as if giving a toast. She grinned, a glint in her eyes that spoke of her own excitement at the words she exclaimed.

Atemu was not sure if he had heard her correctly—more importantly he wished that he hadn't anyways.

So _that_ was Samira's true intentions… to bring back Rakia and allow her to rule the world as the Vampire Queen. All this time he had thought her to simply be a killing machine, wishing only for the world to lay in ruins at her feet… when she was actually preparing it for the return of their mother.

Atemu felt a wanting in his chest—his heart was reaching forth, banging hard against his ribcage. The thought of Mother's return stirred within him a desire, a longing and a remembrance… the mere mention of her made him shiver with something that he could unfortunately call anticipation. Did he really want to see Mother, from the way he felt himself respond? Did he truly wish to meet the woman who gave him life?

He shoved it away—maybe he did, as any child would wish to see their mother, but that lay at one of his least concerns. There were others who needed him… others who needed to be saved from this demonic suffering.

"So, are you thrilled, Brother?" Samira asked coyly, turning to look at the Pharaoh as her lips curled into a delighted smile. "After all, you don't even remember our Mother—such a little reunion might finally make you see the light."

"Perhaps so…" Atemu said threateningly. "But it makes no difference now. You have finished your story, now do as I have commanded—heal my reincarnation, and then we may speak of matters pertaining to that."

"But Brother, do you really care so much for this mortal?" Samira asked, gesturing to the heap that lay motionless in the corner. "You know what kind of creature you are—a being of eternal darkness, of wondrous shadow. You should not concern yourself with such children of the light… after all, you were locked away in the Millennium Puzzle by mortals because of what you are—"

"For all I know, you could very well be lying about that!" Atemu spat, pulling against his chains. "You could be lying about everything—all the words you let slip off your tongue could be false, and I may never know. So I have no reason to trust you on anything—your ill-conceived stories mean nothing to me."

At first Samira looked a little surprised, but then that gave way to a look of amusement. "So, all the words that I speak are counterfeit? Every single one, about everything?"

"For all I know, they could very well be."

Samira's smirk deepened. "Then, what about when I claimed I could heal your reincarnation? Was that all a lie as well?"

Atemu's eyes widened as he bared his teeth viscously. "If you dare to go back on your word, Samira, I swear that I shall—"

"You will do nothing… Brother." Samira grinned, watching how Atemu became so enraged, combating like a caged animal again, struggling desperately to undo his restraints. He thrashed on the wall, the chains clattering noisily against the sand-brick. "You can't do anything. You are bound there by my power, and your 'aibou' is most likely going to die from my spell. And you _did_ say that my words were all lies, Brother… how can you be so sure that what I said before was true, if you deny everything else?"

Atemu said nothing, and she chuckled. "Ah, I understand—you only wish to believe what you _want_ to believe. You don't like thinking that you were imprisoned in the Puzzle for five thousand years because you were a vampire half-breed, you don't want to know that I am your sister, and you don't want to feel the blood of a vampire flow through your veins as it does even now! You only wanted to believe that I could heal your pathetic reincarnation, and that was all! You thought that you could bend the rules to _your_ liking!"

Suddenly she levitated off the ground, and gracefully soared straight in front of the Pharaoh, where he stopped his struggles to glare directly into her eyes. She returned the look with its malice multiplied ten-fold. Her face was brought so deathly close to his that he could feel her breath on his face like a cold musky breeze.

"Well, Brother, know this now!" she hissed venomously. "I speak to you the truth, and everything I speak will be so! Mother is real, your fate was real, and all of this is your _reality_! You don't have to believe me, but you shall see soon enough—when Mother arises from her prison, your mind shall know the truth about your past! Everything will come to light!"

"Then for now, I choose to call you a liar" Atemu spat, not daring to give in to her deadly stare. They were this way for a moment, before finally Samira backed down and gently floated to the floor, her slippered feet landing without a sound.

"Fine, I shall accept that, Brother… you are allowed your own opinion, for now" she said, stalking over towards her throne, and then to face Yugi on the ground. "After all, the will of Mother is undeniable—you will end up doing as she wishes, whether you have that desire or not. There is simply no choice."

"Just heal him!" Atemu said, growling from the wall. "Just heal Yugi."

"I thought you said I was a liar—what if I lied about that?" she countered, earning a terrible glare from her sibling. She turned back to the reincarnation. "As you wish… but the damage may be too extensive for my powers to undo…."

There was silence, and then Atemu could hear Samira chanting something in a low voice—he could not hear her except for the slight muttering, and even then the words seemed to be of a language that even he was unfamiliar with. He saw her body glow of a crimson aura, as she raised the hand that did not hold her glass of blood up so that it was parallel with the floor. From where Atemu was he could see that now his aibou's body glowed of the same claret aura, and it had been levitated off the floor so that it now floated above the ground, still unmoving and clearly ill.

He watched as Samira walked over to Yugi, his vessel still in the air as her glowing arm reached over and swept through the air around the boy, as if he were made of fire and she were testing the heat that escaped from him. Then, she backed away from him, as if he had burned her.

"… Ah, oh well" she said, disappointed. Though her back was to Atemu he could sense that she was faintly smiling to herself, perhaps even pleased. He growled, pulling the chains that bound him taunt.

"What is it? Have you healed him?" Atemu snarled, trying not to sound so edgy. He wanted to remain composed—in a game, it is unreasonable and dangerous to show your true emotions so expressively. One must be calm, asserting the rules so that they may be strategic when they strike, not impulsive. For some reason he was having a hard time keeping himself untroubled.

He heard Samira chuckle softly. "Oh, it seems that things aren't looking so good. It appears that, even if I could remove my blood from his veins, the damage has already been done. His body is slowly destroying itself, and he probably has no more than an hour or two. Too bad, he really was a loyal little thing."

Then Samira flicked her wrist, sweeping the air in a harsh motion—with it, Yugi's body vanished into thin air! Atemu's eyes dilated to the size of pencil dots as he stared at the empty space where Yugi once floated.

"Yugi…?" His shock then led to uncontrollable fury—Atemu screamed out as he pulled violently from his bindings. "**YUGI!**" He gazed down at Samira, panting from all his fighting, beads of sweat forming on his brow. "**What… have you done… WITH HIM**!"

"Just getting him out of the way, dear Brother" Samira answered calmly, wheeling around so as to face him. "He seems to hold a great deal of your attention, so I do not think it necessary that he waste anymore of our time. As they say, out of sight, out of mind." She then chortled, as if it had been some sort of a humorous joke. Atemu, however, took no enjoyment in it as his amethyst eyes suddenly glared of a crimson light.

"_Samira_…" he hissed. The vampire took no notice to it, though, as she headed back towards her throne, standing before it instead of sitting down.

"Well, now that _that_ matter has been taken care of, I suppose you might perhaps be interested in seeing how our Queen will be returned to the throne" Samira said, ignoring Atemu's continuous fight against his chains. He had had enough of this foolishness—Yugi would die if he didn't do something soon to help him, and now he didn't even know where he was! Desperation and guilt made him panicked as he kept trying to loosen his restraints. Samira watched him, now in slight annoyance.

"You know, you're only hurting yourself by doing that" she commented, observing how he refused to cease his battles. She cocked an eyebrow, noting his resistance to listen. Finally she shouted, "That's **enough**!"

Her body radiated of the same blood-red aura it had before, and her eyes were suddenly all red, glowing of an unholy light. Atemu's body became the same, and before he could realize what was going on, an unseen force grasped Atemu and flung him into the wall he was chained to, crushing his body against the rock like a shoe on a bug. Atemu winced, his eyes screwed shut in pain as his body felt like it was being grounded into the sand-brick, his head throbbing from being smacked against the wall so quickly. He tensed as the pain increased even more.

Then Samira calmed, her eyes returning to normal as her body no longer glowed red. Atemu, as the force released him from its grasp, fell limply, his fall unfortunately stopped by the chains and shackles that still held his arms. He grunted as his body dangled uselessly from his restraints, his head bowed down as he breathed heavily against the throbbing.

Samira stared at him, her eyes now cold and unfeeling. "Brother, you may continue to fight this fate, but it will only hurt you more than it already has. And though I would love to watch you suffer by your own means, it is not the will of Mother. And Mother's will is the divine Will.

"Now, let us move on, shall we?" Samira then snapped her fingers, motioning to the shadows. Her own shadow, which was very dark from the bright flames of the torches, suddenly began to change shape, and formed three-dimensional beings that rose from it like bubbles in a swamp. Three of them appeared, and then the shadows finally ebbed away to reveal that they were more of her servants, dressed in long back robes that even covered their faces. The vampire turned to see them, and they bowed deeply before her.

"Did you bring it?" she asked sharply, and without even a thought between them, the three slaves removed from thin air a jar that was as black as the shadows they arose from. They handed it to the princess, as she gave them her drink to hold, and she smirked deviously at the sight of it.

"Bring forth the mirror as well!" she beckoned, and as Atemu started to regain some of his composure from the last assault, he saw what was going on: the three mind servants walked away from Samira, towards the center of the room. They formed a ring between them, and as they raised their arms up towards the ceiling, a black mass similar to a shadow portal erupted within their ring. From it a large item rose up, and as the cloak of shadows melted away, Atemu saw it to be a tall mirror, almost like the one that he had back in the Afterlife.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when he looked to Samira, and noticed the jar she held in her hands. It was like a canopic jar, except that the lid had not the head of any Egyptian God he knew he should see—instead, Zorc the Dark One was on it, red eyes made of ruby gleaming under the torch light. The rest of the lid was made of black obsidian with etchings in it that appeared to be hieroglyphs painted gold. Atemu recognized it instantly.

"That is Rakia's jar, is it not?' he asked, his voice gruff from having the wind knocked out of him earlier. Samira noticed him speaking and turned to him, a smile on her lips.

"Yes—this is the one that the vampire hunters sealed Her in, five thousand years ago."

"But I thought you said that it was hidden somewhere that you could not find…" Atemu argued, his mind now focused strangely on the jar. He gazed upon it, and a wisp of something trailed his thoughts oddly… it was as if it were trying to speak to him.

"That is true" Samira answered, "but what do you think I have been doing for the last five thousand years? Just floating about? No, Brother—I have been searching for Mother's prison, probing every tomb and treasury to find it. I discovered it nearly two thousand years ago, and when I regained a solid vessel, I sent my servants to its location to retrieve it.

"With it in my grasp, I can release Mother from Her reformatory and allow Her access to the world—but that can only be after the ritual of the Blood Moon."

"Ritual?" Atemu asked—Samira nodded, sauntering towards the mirror as the servants made way for her.

"Yes, there is a ritual that must be done to undo the bindings around Mother's soul. One that was recorded with the vampire hunters, and left in the care of those who were to be guardians against such an attempt. I knew this well, so as soon as I was released myself I tracked down one of the tomb keepers that held this information with him—you know of Shadi, do you not?"

Atemu did not speak—of course he knew of Shadi! But how did Samira manage to capture the powerful priest? Atemu knew Shadi to be very aloof and mysterious, as he never knew where the man was to begin with—for Samira to have found him _and_ to have extracted information from him… that could only mean grave things.

Samira continued on. "I used him to gain the whereabouts of those scrolls, as they had been kept with the family of those scoundrels they call hunters. I found that too, with the help of my slaves—apparently there is a need to perform this spell on the Blood Moon, which is the name for one of the thirteen full moons in a cycle. And my timing was perfect, for tonight is the night of the great Blood Moon!"

Atemu shivered. _She's resurrecting her **tonight**?_

"The spell is not at all complicated, actually" Samira mused to herself, as she snapped her fingers, beckoning one of the three servants to hand her an ancient scroll that she unrolled and read. "It simply instructs that a full-length mirror be used as a portal for the spirit as it exits the jar, among other parts of this… and there's a chant. Really quite simple—I'll be finished with it very soon!"

"Samira, don't you realize what you could be doing?" Atemu asked, noting the cynical anticipation rising in her voice. "Rakia may not be the same person that she once was! Perhaps her heart as grown evil with time—do you really wish to take such a risk?"

Samira grinned, before cackling aloud. "Foolish brother! Mother is an untainted being of the shadows—She has spoken to me through the jar, ever since I failed to kill you before, and I know from the way She speaks to me that all is well! You know _nothing_ of this matter, so I suggest that you just watch, and try to understand!"

Though Samira was grinning excitedly at the thought, inside of her there was just a small hint of uncertainty. Things had been thought over by her, and this all seemed right… why did she choose to doubt this now?

Maybe it was because of the rest of the ritual. As Samira had read, she knew that in order for Mother to maintain a corporeal form outside of the jar for more than a night Rakia was to Her to seal the soul of a fellow kinsman to Herself, therefore binding Her to that being so that She is no longer attached to the jar. She would want the most powerful person—Samira knew She would probably wish to bind Her soul to Atemu. That was what she feared most of all.

_Maybe this will finally prove to Mother that I am better_, Samira thought anxiously, gripping the jar tightly in her hands. _Maybe this show of my loyalty will have Her bound to me—to share Mother's legacy with me. She can't deny how loyal I have been—surely She shall choose me over Atemu! _

"It is nearly time, my Queen…" one of the servants said in a voice that sounded like the desert wind whipping the sand in the air. "The moon shall be in the correct position very soon."

"Excellent…" Samira purred, as she approached the full length mirror. It was made of smoked glass, so the reflection was hazy and dark at best. Not that Samira had much of a reflection anymore—it was merely like a smoky outline of what it once was, from when she was first changed so long ago. She could only see the jar floating amongst the smoke that was her as she held it steady.

"Now, to begin…." Samira's voice trailed off, as she set the jar on the floor directly between her and the mirror. She stood tall, and let her arms rise up beside her. She started to chant something, first in a soft voice but then growing louder, turning to a shout as her head tilted back towards the ceiling. Atemu watched as the servants did the same, so as to grant her more power. The air around them started to turn to dark fog and mist.

_They're summoning the power of the Shadow Realm_, Atemu thought. _What are they doing?_

The chant grew louder and louder. Soon it was an incoherent screeching of words, so much so that Atemu wished he could cover his ears against it. The sound of it swirled around the room, and the torches flickered as if a sharp gale had flown through, trying to snuff them out. Everything melded into a giant blur, and Atemu felt his eyes water against the stinging vision.

The next thing he knew there was silence. He peered down to where the ritual was taking place, noting that the dark haze of the shadows was still present around the group below.

He then saw Samira standing over the jar, and he could hear her chuckling softly to herself. She bent down, picking up the jar gingerly as her chuckle grew to a chortle rising in her throat.

"It is time…" he heard her whisper, before twisting the head of Zorc sharply. The jar opened with a crack and hiss, as air escaped it that was five thousand years old. There was a pause, before Samira held the jar above her head, shouting, "Hear me, protectors, the Egyptian Gods Three, that the power I now create, is the power that shall be!"

The air hummed with a dark liveliness, as if holding its breath in waiting. Samira brought the jar back down, and titled it into her left hand—from it poured something that looked like black sand, and she kept it all cupped in her palm as it hissed out. Once she had the majority of it in her grasp, she said something that Atemu could barely decipher, and then tossed the sand at the mirror, dusting it with their Mother's remains. Atemu listened as the sand hissed onto the floor, but then in the noise he thought he heard something else—something like a voice, sighing as the sand escaped into the air.

Samira now moved mechanically, without amusement as she beckoned again to one of her servants. From the one farthest to the left a dagger was given, and Samira took it into her hands carefully. She held it before her, and though Samira had her back to Atemu, he could see that she had just taken the blade to her right-handed wrist, and made a deep slit where the veins should be.

Blood started to brim from the wound—dark red, almost like black tar, oozing gently as it dripped onto the floor. Samira didn't flinch at the sight of it—instead she smirked, letting the blood run all over the steel of the blade until it ran all over the metal. Then she took the blade and she placed it at the foot of the mirror, right where Rakia's remains had gathered—the blood ran together with the sand, and the air hummed even louder with the power it created.

Samira grimaced, before taking a few steps back, and raising her arms above her head, eyes trained on the mirror. Her voice suddenly became smooth and clear, like that of a bell chiming in the silent air.

"_On Full Moon of Blood, with powers of She_

_From darkest prison Her waiting will cease _

_Her bindings gone, Her power free_

_I undo the past, Her soul I release!"_

Samira's eyes erupted of a deadly ruby brilliance, and the room dimmed as she shouted the last of her chant.

"_I call upon thee_! **Rakia, my Mother, Queen of the Vampires**!"

The air and room became dark and hazy as the shadows swept through the hall. The torches seemed to take on a dark light of their own, and things became cold and remote. Atemu's eyes were glued to Samira and the mirror, his mind forgetting of everything else as he watched this mysterious ritual unfold.

Nothing happened at first, but then the mirror's glass surface started to turn dark—it clouded with shadows, as if becoming a portal to the dark realm. The air vibrated with an odd sensation, as a dark light was emitted from the mirror's face. Samira's servants stayed motionless as they watched from all around, and Samira brought down her arms, her eyes wild with excitement and anticipation as the dark light became even brighter. Shadows poured from it, curling like smoky wisps in the breeze that trailed the frame of the mirror.

Then Atemu saw her… a dark silhouette emerged from the inside of the mirror, with two glowing red eyes that shown through the shadows. It drew closer, approaching the edge as a white slipper came through the glass, as if it was nothing but air there. The rest of the body surfaced, starting at the white slippered-foot to a long white robe of Egyptian cotton that was etched with silver lining and seams. Soon, the entire woman came through, stepping onto the ground with such a regal air that even Atemu held his breath in surprise.

The woman who came out was beautiful, like a heavenly angel of the purest light. Her skin was a soft bronze, flawless and never showing any signs of aging—it complimented her white dress robes, which gave her long billowing sleeves that hung off the shoulders and went all the way down to her feet. It was decorated with golden and silver jewelry, from glittering necklaces to heavy bracelets and anklets that sparkled under the dark light. Her hair was like Samira's without the crimson tips—an ebony river that flowed from her head and lay perfectly down to her waist. It framed her face, which had no wrinkles and held the purest crimson orbs Atemu had ever laid eye upon—one look at them and he was trapped within their ruby-like depths. Atop her head was an ornate headdress, decorated with golden tassels and rubies inlaid in it. This was the divine queen, the great Rakia of Vampires.

All three of Samira's servants went down to their knees, bowing so deeply it looked as if they had fallen over. Samira herself did a deep bow, her head bent down in deference to the lady who stood before her, eyes peering down at her daughter.

Then Rakia spoke, in a voice that was as silken as honey and as soft as the nightingale's song. "Hello, daughter."

"Hello, my Queen" Samira said formally, raising her head back up to stare up at Rakia, who was a few inches taller than her daughter. "It is good to see you here before us. Welcome back."

Rakia smiled, a gentle curling of the lip that was demure and unreadable. "It is good to be back, my dear. Being imprisoned in that enchanted pottery leaves much to be desired." Then Rakia's eyes traveled from her daughter, to Atemu. He could see her looking at her on the wall, and he felt her eyes peer deep into his soul—all thought was nearly wiped clean as he gazed upon her stunning garnet eyes, his fighting ceased. Rakia smiled upon him.

"Well, what do we have up there?" she asked, taking soft steps towards where Atemu was. Samira bowed again, even though Rakia's back was to her.

"That is Atemu. He has joined us in time for your resurrection."

"I see…" Rakia said, her eyes never leaving Atemu. Then the sweetness in her voice vanished, replaced by something far too cold as she directed it at Samira. "I thought I told you that he was to be unharmed."

"I had no choice, my Queen!" Samira pleaded, a sudden desperation in her eyes. "He resisted, and if I had not done so he would have ruined my plans… my plans to bring you back—"

"Silence" Rakia commanded, and in an instant Samira's mouth was sealed shut as the girl stood rigid against her Mother's power. Rakia then ignored her, as she continued towards Atemu, her eyes watching his, capturing them so that he could not look away.

"Atemu, my son…." Rakia brought up a delicate hand, and her finger lightly flicked through the air—the shackles that held Atemu clicked in release, and Atemu fell to the ground, just barely crouching down in time to save himself against the fall. He got up slowly, rubbing his wrists as the circulation was brought back into them gradually—it took a moment for him to realize that Rakia was suddenly standing right in front of him, looking down at him with her crimson eyes gentle and loving.

"My son…" she whispered, her voice again as gentle as a wind chime, echoing through the room nonetheless. Atemu looked up, and he met Rakia's gaze—endless garnet surrounded by eyes decorated by heavy amounts of kohl like frames on a window to the soul. He was trapped in them… his mind gave way to near nothingness in her presence. He couldn't find words to speak, and his throat felt dry.

Finally, he whispered one word. "… Mother?"

Rakia smiled, in a kind of motherly way that only a child could sense. Then, she gently came down and embraced him, her arms wrapping around him slowly— Atemu was stunned, unsure of what to do, as he simply allowed Rakia to hold him. Her arms felt so warm, and they felt so good around him, holding him, protecting him….

Rakia whispered into his ear. "Yes, it is I, Atemu. Do you remember me?"

Atemu wanted to speak, but found that he could not. His mind now raced, images coming from somewhere that he did not know, showing him memories he did not know he had.

Memories of the same woman who held him now holding him the same way before… the same warmth, the same love. He saw her smiling at him, the same demure smile, with those same crimson eyes sparkling in the sunlight. He saw her playing with him, teaching him how to practice his magic, telling him a story before he dozed off to sleep at night. All of these memories, all revived with her simple touch.

Atemu was speechless as the memories occurred in his thoughts, but as they fell into place he felt strangely relieved, as if there was nothing to worry about anymore.

"Yes, I… remember" Atemu said, but his voice sounded oddly robotic—it was as if he were not saying these things, and yet… he was.

He could feel Rakia's hold on him tighten, and his body tingled with her contact. Then he relaxed, his mind suddenly soothed by his Mother embracing him so lovingly. In his thoughts he knew now that this was Mother, this was who had loved him before… this was who he loved even now.

And she was holding him so gently, yet protectively… he now remembered this wonderful feeling, the feeling of Mother's love, and in an instant he knew that he never wanted to leave this embrace. He never wanted to forget this feeling, this sensation, this love… he wanted to stay with Mother, be with her, forever and ever. As long as he could, never letting go.

Then he recalled Yugi, who Samira had sent away. He still had yet to save him, and there wasn't much time. And Anzu too—what was happening to her as well? The world still needed him, they still needed the Pharaoh… he still had to stop this madness….

Rakia's fingers were now running through his hair, making him purr a little in delight at such a sensation. His worries were cares that he had to accomplish… but not right now. He felt too… peaceful.

Rakia smiled. "I sense that things are troubling you, my son." She paused, as if waiting for him to speak—he couldn't though, and she continued. "Many things indeed, I see. But it's all okay, everything will be all right. There is nothing to worry about anymore—nothing for you to be concerned of at all. You are with Mother now, and you will think no more of these worries—Mother will take care of them for you, my child. Do you understand?"

Atemu heard what she had said. His rational thoughts were screaming at him, telling him that his friends were in danger and needed his help, now. But, the screaming was slowly dying away, giving into tempting silence and emptiness. He listened to his Mother's words, and with every single one his thoughts slowly began to dim, growing fainter and fainter… soon the voice in his head was gone, instead replaced by a feeling of cloudiness as he floated amongst the haze, as the tendrils caressed him and allowed him to forget.

No more worries, no more cares… he did not have to care. Mother would take care of everything.

And soon Yugi and Anzu were no longer in his thoughts, as his eyes became a vacant crimson, glowing of Rakia's light as a dazed smile crossed Atemu's lips. His arms robotically wrapped themselves around Rakia, hugging her back.

"Yes, Mother… I understand."

"Good, my child" Rakia said, letting go of Atemu as she stood back to full height, with Atemu staring absently at nothing, still wearing that dazed smile. Rakia petted his hair, looking at him proudly. Then she turned to Samira again.

"He has not been changed, I see" she said, the bitterness back in her affirmative voice. Her hand gestured, and Samira's lips unzipped, allowing her to speak.

"No, he hasn't. I never got a chance" Samira croaked timidly. Rakia still did not look pleased.

"I figured as much, from you" she spat. Samira's eyes got wide.

"Mother! How can you say such a –"

"It doesn't matter now" Rakia interrupted, gazing back at Atemu. "He is in the perfect condition now—I suppose better late than never will be the case here." Rakia sighed. "I should have done this a long time ago, to avoid such mishaps. And now, I shall make up for my mistake."

She bent down in front of Atemu, and leaned in towards his neck—Atemu's hazy eyes did not indicate resistance, as he simply stared straight ahead as if he had no real will of his own now. Her lips graced his skin, and just as she was about to sink in her glittering fangs, she whispered into Atemu's ear.

"It is time for you to meet your true destiny, little one." And then she started the transformation.

---

Author's Note: _Okay, now how awesome was THAT!_

_Some of you probably want to kill me right now… but trust me, it will ALL work out…._

_Maybe. R x R!_


	69. Light in the Haze

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Sorry for the lateness, my readers and reviewers! I've been working on pre-prepared chapters of DYDOM: D—that way they'll be ready for judging by the original authoress, Laryan6, and I can have them out each Friday._

_And, I now have tennis practices in the mornings, so that reduces my typing time by half… to answer someone's question (sorry, I can't remember whose) it takes me at least six hours or less to beef out one of these chappies. My mom works this summer from nine till three, and I usually take at least that long to finish one of RotH's chapters. _

_But now, I have only from eleven till four or so… (sniffle) Once school starts, I won't have any time at all! Damnit! _

_So, please, don't get spoiled from the last week or so of constant updates… they might not come all that often anymore. Hopefully I can get at least one out a week (I've never done fan fiction typing during tennis season before, which will take away my after-school writing time completely) but if not, please don't start asking me about it. I can barely get on the Internet right now—and my plot bunnies torment me enough as it is._

… _Enough about meh! _

_Peeps who love meh and I loves them…._

**Elfbrat18, ArchangelAki, Ruby, Jna-chan, Nenny, Jessica Morgan, Gaibomaster XP, Maridel, ANZU&ATEMU FAN, becca, Isis the Sphinx, the CAPTAIN Hikari Paladin, SeleneXAngel, spiritfire,** _and_ **feyannabellee.**

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics… and all that jazz. Oh, that wonderful jazz… and crap. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 69: The Light in the Haze….**

"Joey…?"

Vacant honey-brown eyes caught sight of frightened violet ones… Mai wished that she had never said anything, that she could have covered her mouth before the name slipped out.

But it was too late now. Far too late. And the reality of it was just setting in.

Joey Wheeler stood on the opposite side of the metal bars that caged Mai, and he seemed as if he were merely a mannequin that had been stolen from the nearby mall. His messy blonde locks were strewn around his head, over his eyes just enough to make them appear cloudy and mysterious—his skin was pale, as usual, and looked even more so in the dim lighting of the dank dungeon. He wore normal street clothes, as if he had just been hanging out with his friends on an average day… everything seemed normal, all seemed okay—

But his eyes told a different story—so vacant, so empty, and so glassy that they almost appeared false. They were glazed over, as if he were not really seeing anything—he was simply there, following commands blindly and without thought. Without his own will.

Joey's eyes may have been looking at Mai, but she knew that Joey wasn't there. Joey wasn't staring back… an empty shell of him was.

_I never wanted to see you like this_, Mai thought to herself, a few tears brimming at her eyes as she was kept there by Joey's stare. _I wanted us to meet again, and for everything to be okay. I wanted things to be better… now they've only gotten worse._

Her eyes were only caught within Joey's for a split second before he turned his gaze frontward again, to continue walking forward, but it was long enough for Mai's heart to skip a beat or two. Her breathing halted, the air in her throat frozen as she wished that all of this could just go away—that everything could just go away! That she could be back in Tokyo, in her apartment, sipping her coffee drink as she enjoyed the pleasant quiet… not to be here, not with all of this! She hadn't been ready to see Joey yet—her heart still wasn't ready, and she felt that she had to wait longer for his forgiveness. For all the pain she had once caused him….

Kaiba was also watching the approaching figures, and had also caught sight of Wheeler as the empty vessel came out of the shadows. He wished he could say he wasn't surprised, but that would have been a bold-faced lie—one that he would have made anyways. Staring at Wheeler, he met the blonde's gaze, dead on, seeing the emptiness and feeling a shiver trail up his spine.

His original plan _had_ been to wait for one of the guards to pass by the cell, and in the moment they moved near enough to him he would reach out and grab them, hoping to pull them into a collision with the hard metal bars.

But Wheeler… he couldn't move, didn't want to. A part of him kept his arms and clenched fists at his sides, kept him from taking his chance at escaping this prison.

He could only imagine what would happen if he tried to attack Joey—Serenity would see him, and to watch her brother be ambushed by him… he could only imagine what it would be like if Mokuba were watching him get attacked like that. He couldn't do that to this pitiful girl… though his instincts screamed at his hesitance.

He could only watch as his lower rival treaded in front of him.

From behind Joey, two other figures emerged from the shadows. One of them Mai instantly recognized, with his strange hair up in a point and his dark complexion… Tristan was with them, as well one of the guards that Mai recognized from one of the earlier visits. All three of them marched past the cell, past Mai as she watched them go, her mind suddenly elsewhere as she stared at empty space that Joey once resided in.

Mai was awakened from her spell by a small gasp behind her—she wheeled around to see that Serenity had seen her brother too, her hazel eyes wide with both shock and joy. Mai's eyes widened—Serenity hadn't a clue that her brother was under the control of the one who held them captive. She didn't know that Joey wasn't really there; she only saw him, and not the lie.

The younger girl scrambled to her feet, and after a few wobbly steps, regained her balance and headed towards the cell bars.

"Wait, Serenity!" Mai tried to stop her, hissing at her to stay put, but the girl ignored her, her eyes trained to her older sibling on the other side. They walked past her, and Joey's gaze never looked to notice his sister staring at him. Mai watched in fear as Serenity started to call out to him from the cell.

"Joey?" she whispered at first, but her voice rose to that of a shout. "Joey! Is that you? It's me, Serenity!" To Mai's surprise, she thought she saw Joey twitch a little, as if he were trying to respond. But maybe she hadn't seen anything at all, as the teen continued to walk with the others, towards the door to their cell. "Joey! Why won't you answer me? Joey!"

"Serenity…" Mai placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, but she wasn't fast enough, as the girl took off in a run towards the opening cell door. Joey's sister shoved Kaiba of her way as she ran towards the end of the cell, where the door was located.

"Joey!" she yelled, as the older boy entered the cell first. He stopped where he was, almost as if he had heard her… but Mai knew he hadn't, with the way his eyes stayed so empty and cold. She wanted to yell to Serenity, to tell her to stay far away from that shell of her brother, but her voice was lodged in her throat, unable to let her speak. She could only watch them now.

Serenity had been unaware that her brother was not himself—after so long without seeing him, her heart simply fluttered with recognition. Her brother was here to get her out, to save her from this dreadful place! To save her and Mom, and Mai and Kaiba—her big brave brother, here to save the day.

But why wasn't he answering her when she called him? He acted like he hadn't even heard her, and she had been yelling to him as loud as she could. As he came into the cell, Serenity got to him as fast as her weak legs could carry her—she wanted to see him, to hug him and make sure that everything was okay.

But something was not right—she could sense it when she surprised Joey, and embraced him. He was cold… frozen beneath her touch. His body felt as if it had been sculpted from solid ice, and the chill was barely muffled through his clothes. Serenity shivered as she wrapped her arms around him, as he only stood there, unresponsive.

"Big Brother!" she said joyfully, a soft smile tugging at her lips. She squeezed him tighter, but got nothing in return—his arms remained at his side, and he said nothing to her that might signal recognition. She felt the rigidness in him, and looked up, hazel eyes confused.

"Big Brother, what's wrong?" She was frightened to see that he simply stared down at her, as if he was seeing right through her… as if she wasn't even there to him. Her heart skipped a beat, as she tried to keep herself calm.

"Joey, why won't you answer me?"

"Silence, wench—don't tease the help." Serenity looked over to see that with Joey was Tristan—who appeared just as indifferent as Joey—and a strange man she did not know; he loomed over her, his beady eyes as menacing as his gruff voice. Everyone in the cell was silent, scared eyes peering at the scene before them, for it was him who had spoken so unkindly.

The guard walked up to Serenity, and bore over her, being at least a foot taller than she. The girl trembled a bit, holding her brother closer.

"You know 'im?" the guy croaked, his warm, foul-smelling breath flooding over her face. Serenity bit her lip, trying not to show any fear.

"Yes, he's my brother!" she said defiantly, still embracing the lifeless blonde. The edge of the guard's mouth curled into a disturbing smile, as he leaned in even closer to Serenity's face.

"Well, lass…" the man said hoarsely, "this here ain't your brother no more… only the hired muscle for the Queen. Can't ya see it in these empty eyes?" He gestured to Joey, noting his cloudy brown orbs. "They ain't no soul in there, sweetie. I should know—I've been working with these meat puppets for the last few days, ordering 'em around. Now off with you—we have work to do."

Serenity looked up, and saw exactly what this guard had said. Her brother's eyes were like endless pits of honey-brown… there was no one there. Joey was not in this skin, this thing that she held.

"Joey…?" she peered up at him, but was met with no response… it was just like how Tristan had once described Joey to her when he was under the mind control of Malik Ishtar. The cruel reality of the situation was dawning upon her, and she fought back tears.

She had lost her mother, and now her brother as well. Her family was gone—taken away for reasons that she still did not know. But she hadn't the heart to abandon her brother's vessel, even if someone were pulling the strings and he was not there. This was still her _brother_.

"Well, lass?" the man asked again, this time a little impatient. "Get going!"

"… No" Serenity said firmly, her eyes determined and strong. "This is my big brother… I'm not leaving him!"

The guard frowned, his brow furrowing in thought as he stared down at her with mock pity. "Ah, I didn't wanna have to deal with this sentimental shit. He ain't your brother anymore, dearie—he's our property now. And we've got a job to do, so let go of my worker."

Serenity's voice grew louder. "I said… no!"

The look of pity disappeared from the guard—now all that was left was an irritated scowl. "Ugh… I didn't want it to have to come to this, but…." Suddenly he grabbed Serenity by the collar of her shirt and yanked her from Joey—Serenity, surprised by this, only yelped in shock as she was pulled from her brother so fiercely. Mai's eyes were wide as she observed the man lifting Serenity up by her shirt.

_Oh no… Serenity_!

The auburn-haired girl kicked and swayed in the air, her hands gripping the man's arm as he held her up above the floor. He frowned at her, his beady eyes like a shark's… small pits of pure black. All the while, Joey and Tristan stood behind him, watching with soulless eyes… but, unknown to anyone, a small twitch occurred in Joey's hand… almost as if it tried to ball up into a fist.

"Know your place, child" the guard commanded callously. Then, without warning he flung Serenity into the wall on his right, her frail body slamming into the sand-brick and flopping onto the ground with a light thud. Mai heard Serenity grunt a little when she hit it, but now there was no movement at all from the younger girl. Mai inhaled sharply, scared for her but unable to do _anything_. "A prisoner pays heed to the guards… their _superiors_. So the next time I say to go, I suggest that you—"

The man couldn't even continue his sentence, because Kaiba's fist had collided with his jaw, sending him backwards as he barely stayed on his feet. He had been so distracted sneering at Serenity that he hadn't noticed the raging brunette approach him. Kaiba cracked his knuckles as the guard regained his balance, before coming down to his knees, holding his face as he spit out blood.

"I may be a prisoner here too" Seto Kaiba said, a frown tugging at the corner of his mouth as he glared at the staggering guard, "but no one is superior to me. I don't pay heed to scumbags like you… so I suggest that you either go or stay down—before I really decide to hurt you."

Mai observed Kaiba as he kicked the guard in the stomach, turned away from him as the man fell to the ground, and then walked away casually as if nothing had just happened. She was glad that he had shown up that guard, but he could have had some consideration for Serenity, who was still unmoving on the floor, her hair covering her face so that Mai couldn't even see if she were awake or not. She was about to approach Serenity and give Kaiba a what-for in the process, but a shadow behind Kaiba caught her eye instantly. It appeared that someone didn't feel like staying down, or going.

"Kaiba!" Mai shouted, finding her voice again as she pointed at something over the brunette's shoulder. "Watch out! Behind you!"

Kaiba froze where he was, and wheeled around. If he had reacted a second earlier, he might have had a chance at deflecting the incoming blow to his skull. But that second was lost in the sands of time, and so was any chance Kaiba had of counter-attacking.

The guard had managed to slip behind him, and his fist came tumbling down like a well-positioned boulder—the sickening crack of knuckles meeting head made Mai cringe, and Kaiba instantly dropped to his knees, before limply falling to the floor at the guard's feet. Unconsciousness took him quickly, with only one random thought tugging at his mind just before it all went dark… how many more times was he going to wake up with a throbbing headache before this was finally over?

And still, Joey and Tristan didn't move more than to blink and breathe. Or at least… so it seemed.

An uncharacteristic smirk came to the slave leader's expression, but it was merely fleeting as he barked at the other inmates: "Okay now… anyone else wanna make a complaint? I'm all ears!"

Silence echoed around the room, so much so it was deafening. Scared eyes watched from the shadows, but no one made any move to take up his offer. Mai felt her old self rise up, wanting to mouth off to this arrogant jerk and give him as good a slap as she had given Kaiba.

But Kaiba was on the ground now, completely unconscious from a severely traumatic blow to the head... Serenity was also out of the running, as she still had not moved since she had met the cold, hard wall a moment before. Even Joey was out of her reach, and yet he was there, staring at her so blankly—she was alone, like she always had been, all her life. This was no different to any other second of her lonesome existence.

And yet… why did she feel so frozen inside?

The guard gestured to Joey and Tristan, and the two slaves moved robotically with their commander, doing as he did. The gruff sentinel approached the many female prisoners in the cell, as they huddled together in a group for comfort, and suddenly started grabbing them by the chin and looking them over, as if this was now some sort of inspection. Mai saw that many of them had been down here a little longer than she, and they appeared a bit scrawny or ill—with each of them, the guard regarded them with disappointment and disgust, throwing them back amongst the crowd to tremble and cry while holding each others' frail hands.

Finally, the man paused and stood up at full height, his tiny eyes scanning around the room. "Alright, listen up!" he snarled, and the room got quieter, if that were even possible. "I am Grog, one of your prison masters. My workers and I have come for a simple reason, so your cooperation would be appreciated… and necessary." He motioned over to Kaiba, who still lay on the ground like a sack of rice. "If you would like to end up like that lad over there, then please do resist. It would make things a little less dull around here.

"Now, we have come to choose amongst you a few worthless captives who meet our requirements. We need to replenish the blood stocks for our Queen and her soldiers, so some fresh donors are in order. Therefore, young and healthy inmates are being selected… if we find any of you to be of these standards, then we will take you down to the feeding rooms. If not, you will be left here. We suggest that you help us make our job easier by not making this into a struggle—we're not here to hurt y'all unless you pose to be a threat or annoyance."

_Yep, I **so** believe that_, Mai thought as she stayed where she was, leaning up against the bars of the cell as she hugged herself nervously. She watched Serenity's body as it lay helplessly on the ground, and she knew better than to go and check on her—if she did, this jerk-off of a guard would surely punish her. Still, she couldn't just _stand_ here… her conscious was screaming at her to do the right thing, while her rational mind commanded her to think for herself. She felt torn between the two.

Everything was silent for a moment, as Mai tuned out everything else as she watched over Serenity from where she stood. Her eyes trained for any movement, she felt despair in the fact that she didn't even notice the girl's back rise up in down in breathing. The hit couldn't have been hard enough to… to….

_No, I can't think like that_! Mai thought, trying to push the thought away from her. She shook her head, scrunching her eyes shut—if Serenity were… that way, then she could never live with herself. Joey would never let her live with herself. _Oh, please be alright… just be alright_….

She heard a light groan, and her eyes snapped open. She saw a hint of movement—Serenity's hand twitched a bit, and then her body shifted on the ground… Serenity was alive, at least.

_Oh, thank God_, Mai thought, as she watched the girl raise her head, misty eyes staring at Mai.

"M-Mai…" Serenity stuttered, and the blonde was so focused on her that she barely realized that the guard named Grog had approached her, as he forcefully yanked her chin so that she would stare up at him. Mai yelped in surprise—when did _he_ get here?

The guard's eyes looked her over, judging, before smiling an uncanny smile. "You look quite well… perfect age, young and vital. Your blood would probably make for a nice snack for my Mistress."

_What the hell is he talking about_? _Blood? Snack_? Mai glared at him, her teeth bared as she held back her tongue. She could hear Serenity breathing heavily, perhaps attempting to stand back up. "M-Mai…!"

The guard did another quick overview, before releasing his grip on her face and instead grabbing her by the wrist. Mai held back, receding the arm he grasped.

"What are you doing?" Mai snapped.

"Taking you to the feeding rooms, of course" Grog said without even looking back at Mai. He pulled on her arm like a rope, tugging on it as Mai grabbed one of the cell bars in opposition. She could barely hang on—his strength was immense, far more than her own. "And if you value your life, you should quit your futile struggles. If I want to, I can yank on your arm and pull it loose from the socket—you wouldn't want that, now would ya, lass?"

Mai growled, holding steady to the bar she grasped. "Anything's better than going with you, ugly."

SMACK. In as much time as it took to blink, Grog had whipped around, his left hand abruptly back-handing Mai with a horrible clout. Mai reeled, her face burning as the sound of the hit still pounded in her ears as loud as her heartbeat—stunned by the pain, she released her hold on the metal bar, and barely managed to stumble as Grog dragged her towards the door to the cell.

"Mai…!" Serenity called out weakly from the floor, watching as her friend was being towed helplessly with this monster. "Mai…get up…!"

"Let… me… go!" Mai growled in a low voice, as she started to fight back against the hold he had on her. Her other hand came up and she dug her nails into his skin, but he didn't seem to flinch at all—instead he chuckled pleasantly.

"You act as if this is a bad thing!" Grog answered. "Relax, lass… you'll live… for a little while. You'll probably die from disease before we can kill you… after all, there's no sense in wasting a used needle."

Mai continued to struggle, a few tears coming to her eyes despite her snarling and angered expression. She didn't want to go anywhere—and she certainly wasn't going anywhere he took her. But did she have any choice?

Her eyes darted up, seeing Joey and Tristan staring at her with the same lifeless eyes. They were watching her, seeing her being lugged by a dangerous thug to have God knows what done to her… was there anything left of Joey in there? Was he really gone from her, completely and utterly… gone?

"Joey…" Mai whispered, before her voice rose to a desperate shout. "Joey, snap out of it! You have to wake up!" Mai stared at Joey, hoping to see him respond… but all she received was that same blank look.

"He can't hear you, poor lad" Grog said wistfully. "One of them meat puppets now—no will or soul. Just does what it's told… your yelling is useless."

"Joey, listen to me!" Mai cried out, her feet dragged behind her as she couldn't seem to find her footing again—she was now limply trailing behind the guard. "Fight off what's controlling you! I know you have the will power—you fought off Malik, and this is the same! Break free—wake up, Joey, please!"

Mai thought she saw him twitch a little—perhaps she was making progress? Was she getting through to him? She remembered what Yugi had done to save Joey—he just kept telling him memories, showing him things that he would remember as a part of him. She'd have to find some way to break through, just enough so that maybe—

"You're ramblings are beginning to annoy me…" Grog said, as he stopped walking and pulled Mai to her feet. He gave her a cold stare. "I already told you, that boy's a goner to you, however you know 'im. So shut your trap—save your screaming for later… you'll need it." He started to move again, and they were very close to the cell door now. Mai's head sharply turned to look at Joey, who was standing near the wall with Tristan. Grog had not commanded them to move just yet.

"Joey… please remember!" Mai called out, pulling against Grog's tight grip. "Remember your sister, and Kaiba, and everyone else! Remember Battle City? You saved me there, Joey! You got me out of the darkness, even if it meant almost going to the Shadow Realm yourself! You just have to remember your friends… remember me!"

"Silence!" Grog said, obviously annoyed. Mai ignored him.

"I know I did bad things to you… I betrayed you, I defeated you…stole your soul…." A single tear slipped off of Mai's cheek. "And I won't deny them—I know what I have done! I hurt you, and you don't have to forgive me, but for your sister, please come back! Save her and all your friends… just please wake up! I… I don't want to see you this way… wake up! **Wake up**!"

"I said **silence**!" Grog finally snapped—he wheeled around and faced Mai, seething. "I want you to just… **shut**—" he raised his left hand up in the air, and curled it into a fist, before bringing it down upon Mai like a hammer—"**up **already!"

The blow smashed right into Mai's face, knocking her senseless. She tried to blink the stars out of her vision, but found the she could not—everything was spinning, and she felt like she were on the brink of darkness. She tried her best to hold onto consciousness—if she could only get a hold of Joey, if she could just make it through….

If she could just make him… wake up….

_Inside Joey's mind, there was darkness, filling the emptiness created by Samira's will. His soul was imprisoned by endless tendrils of shadow, holding him still within his mind. But it's not as if he could think for himself as it was—he did as the voices commanded, there was nothing of his own voice. He obeyed—that was his one true purpose… the only one he knew. _

_It seemed to have been like this forever—nothing ever happened around him, or to him. He simply existed, bound by the darkness. All he saw—the darkness. All he knew—the darkness. Nothing else was there, his eyes blind and his ears deaf to everything and anything. And he had not the will to care… literally, as he didn't even know how to care. That was all gone to him as well._

_Then a voice pierced through the darkness, making the hold of the tendrils waver. Joey perked up, feeling the darkness lifting._

"_Joey!" the voice cried out, from somewhere outside himself. He knew that voice, from somewhere, from sometime that he could not recall. It seemed so familiar… but he couldn't put his finger on a name. "Joey!"_

'_Who… who are you?' he asked quietly, and was surprised to hear himself speak. He had a voice… he had something of his own… but then that thought was quickly stifled by the darkness, and he found his bindings even tighter than before. Still, he did not struggle, for they were far stronger than him. He was far too weak against them… too weak, he was nothing—_

"_Joey!" another voice rang out in the dark. This one was louder, closer… and even more familiar. A strange sensation overtook him… what was this… feeling? What was this that stirred within him… why did the voice create such a notion? "Joey, please remember!"_

'_Remember… remember what?' he asked himself, helpless against the hold of the shadows. His blonde bangs hooded his eyes, but their blank essence was evident nonetheless._

"_Remember your sister, and Kaiba, and everyone else!" the voice rang aloud. Joey's eyes started to clear a little, the haze that was his irises beginning to disappear._

'_Sister… Serenity…' Joey mumbled. 'Kaiba… friends… Yugi….'_

"_Joey, please remember!"_

_Things were starting to come back to him… memories, thoughts that were his own. He could see himself, with other people, with people he knew in his heart. Yugi, Tristan, Anzu, Ryou, Serenity… he saw their faces, though they were still fuzzy and hardly detailed. But he knew… he knew those faces, those people… he knew them, somehow._

'_My friends… guys….' He felt the bindings of darkness grow stronger, but somehow he found a will to fight within him now—something sparked, and he knew this wasn't what he was. His eyes started to clear, the sparkle coming back to them, slowly, gradually. He wasn't a slave to the darkness, to some odd voice in his mind! He was Joey… Joey…._

'_Joey… Wh-Wh-Wheeler…' the blonde stammered, feeling the tendrils draw tighter and closer. They cut off his circulation, and his body throbbed with the pain of his resistance. It was far too great for him to take… he should just give up now, there was no way he could defeat this control—_

"_Wake up, Joey!" There was a light now, a light in the haze… out in the distance, he could see a brilliance coming through the fog, trying to push its way through. It was starting to glow brighter, despite the efforts of the dark to dim it. It made him feel warm… it made him feel—_

"_Joey, please remember…" the light said, and as it got closer, it started to take form. Joey could see it had details, it had a face… so familiar…._

'_Remember what?' he asked the light, asked the dark, asked whoever would give him an answer. He felt himself grow stronger, as the tendrils of shadows started to fade away… in the presence of the light, they disappeared, giving into his will. Into the will of the light._

_He didn't want to forget anymore. Something had happened… something that made him forget… but he wanted to remember, to see what it was that he couldn't see now. He wanted to know who the voice belonged to, and why it made him feel… why he could feel when he heard that voice…._

_Then he saw her, the angel that stood before him, bathed in light. One with long blonde locks and beautiful violet eyes… one that let him have the strength to push away the darkness. She helped him remember… and he knew…. _

_He had to wake up._

_The form smiled. "Please remember…just please… remember me…." And Joey smiled too._

"_Mai Valentine…" he said, as the darkness faded away, and his mind was swept with a blinding light. "… I remember."_

Grog grabbed Mai by her neck, holding her up as he had done to Serenity. Her eyes were heavy-lidded, and barely in focus… everything was blurry, and sounds were distorted. He had a good left arm on him, of that she knew from the newly-acquired bruise she could feel on her face.

Grog was panting from all his yelling, his beady eyes now seething pool of obsidian. He glared at her with great annoyance.

"I've had enough of your bullshit…" he said, his face red with light rage. "Of everyone's bullshit. Of all the screaming, crying, and complaining! I have had **enough**… and it's about time somebody paid for pissing me off!" He tightened his hold on Mai's neck, and she gagged, squirming beneath his grasp. A pleased smile fleetingly crossed Grog's face.

"Now… it's time for you ta learn your lesson—"

"Hey, asshole!" Both Mai and Grog heard the voice that spoke, but Grog was the only one who could look around. Mai was immobile, but she heard the voice, as clear as day. Grog looked over at where his two workers were… to see the blonde one cracking his knuckles.

"Get… your filthy hands… off a her." Joey's brown eyes blazed with a determined sparkle, as he stretched out his arm for good measure. Grog stared at him for a moment, as if he were bewildered by what he saw. Joey's gaze narrowed, before he charged at the guardsman, fist in the air.

"I… said…" Joey launched his fist up, and slammed it directly into a stunned Grog's face, knocking out one of his yellow teeth, "LET… GO!"

The hit had enough force to cause Grog to stumble backwards and fortunately smack right into one of the cell bars, letting go of Mai in the process—the blonde-haired duelist fell from the air…right into Joey Wheeler's arms.

Joey smiled as he got Mai back on her feet; recovering from the sudden ability to breathe again, Mai blinked back tears of pain, clearing her eyes as she peered up into warm honey ones. Her eyes went wide as she gasped involuntarily.

"… Joey…?" she asked, her voice failing to hide her surprise. Then she regained her composure, as she pushed some of her hair behind her ear and gave him a coy smile. "It's been… a while."

Joey now appeared as surprised as Mai once had been. When he had opened his eyes, he saw Mai and that guy and… at that point, instinct had taken over. Now he could see that it really _was_ Mai standing before him… really Mai, after so long without her.

"… Mai, is it really you?" he asked, his voice gentle as if trying to be cautious for himself, in case the truth revealed his hopes false. Mai nodded, glad.

"It's me, Joey" Mai said, and after a slight pause, Joey suddenly embraced Mai, hugging her as tightly as he could. Mai felt the wind being knocked out of her, as Joey wrapped his arms around her, as if he would never intend to let go.

"… I missed you…" he whispered into her hair. Mai felt shock for a moment, but then her eyes went misty as she bit back a few tears.

"I missed you too, Joey…" she wrapped her arms around him, and snuggled her head into his chest, as one single tear slipped off her cheek, and fell onto his shirt. "…I missed you too."

"_Heh heh… how sweet_" a familiar voice said, interrupting their moment. Both Mai and Joey jerked back to reality, as they spun around to see Tristan laughing maniacally at them, his eyes still vacant but now also holding a sense of sinister intent. Joey braced himself, fists clenched.

"Tristan, what da hell is up with you?" Joey asked, his voice a little bit edgy as he noted the strange way Tristan seemed to regard them. Mai shivered as she looked upon Joey's friend.

_He must still be under that princess's control!_ Mai thought, worried. _It's like the on button got switched—he's not a vessel anymore… now he's awake, and that can't be good…!_

Tristan sauntered over to them, his hands causally in his pockets. "_You betrayed our Mistress_…" he said in an ominous voice. Then he brought out his hands, revealing fists as he charged towards Joey without warning. "_Now you will pay_—oomph!"

Out of nowhere, Kaiba's fist came in and pummeled into Tristan's face from the side, knocking him down, and out cold. The brunette stared at Tristan's controlled vessel for a moment, a cold look in his cobalt eyes. "Enough already… you fools are giving me a headache."

"Kaiba!" Mai and Joey said in unison, though both with different tones. The CEO grasped his head a little, his eyes squinting in pain.

"Not so loud, you imbeciles… didn't I just say I have a headache?"

"Kaiba, what da hell are you doin' here?" Joey asked threateningly, before blinking in confusion as he looked around the cell they were in. "Um, by da way, where is here?"

Both Mai and Kaiba sighed… one out of irritation and the other out of content acceptance. Mai patted Joey on the back affectionately.

"Long story—I'll explain it to you later, hon."

"Joey!" Everyone turned when they heard the last of the four cry out. Joey swung around to be tackled by a mass of auburn hair with big hazel eyes. Serenity squeezed him tight, smiling. "You woke up, big brother! I'm so glad!"

"Serenity?" Joey asked, both happy and surprised. He got over his shock, and hugged his younger sibling back. Then he looked between Kaiba and Mai, confused. "I woke up from something? What happened? Da last thing I remember is bein' with Yug and Tristan, and da rest is… blank…."

"Like I said, long story, tell later." Mai assured him, smiling warmly to her old friend. She hadn't seen him for such a long time, and yet he was the exact same Joey—nothing had changed, and Mai was grateful for that. "Now let's get the hell out of here, shall we?"

"But what about Tristan?" Serenity asked after she let go of Joey. She gestured to him, lying unconscious on the floor. "We can't just leave him here, can we?"

"I say we do" Kaiba said firmly. Joey's eyes narrowed.

"Of course _you _do, money bags!" Joey bit back. Kaiba glared at him coldly.

"Let me finish, Mutt." Joey growled at the nickname, but didn't interrupt. "Like I was saying, I think it would be in our best interest to leave your friend somewhere safe. I've seen this happen before… if he wakes up, he might still be a puppet, and we could be in danger." Kaiba looked over to Mai. "You understand what I'm talking about, right?"

Mai nodded, remembering what he had said about Malik and how he was still under the princess's control when he woke up. "Yes, I know. And I agree with Kaiba—we can always come back for Tristan later."

"…Okay, I have _no_ idea what is goin' on…" Joey huffed, before walking over to his out cold friend and lifted him up over his shoulder with a grunt, "but whatever it is, you guys seem ta know what's best. I'll agree with Mai on agreeing with rich boy here." He shot Kaiba a sideways look, and Kaiba returned it with equal power.

"Then why are you carrying him?" Kaiba asked.

"Well, I don't wanna leave my buddy _here_…" Joey said, motioning to the crowded cell room. Then he pointed to the one across the hall. "But dat one seems empty. We'll put him in 'dere… I don't know what's up with him, but I don't want him hurting anyone else."

_That's the Joey I remember_… Mai thought, as she led the group out of the cell through the door that was left open invitingly. As they walked past Grog, who was now drooling heavily over the floor in unintended slumber, Kaiba fished through his pockets and found the skeleton key that he had used to unlock the cell door before, hoping it might open the other cell as well. It did, as they discovered—once inside, Joey gently lifted his friend down, before walking out of the cell and locking the barred door with a harsh _click_.

He didn't know what was happening around him. One moment he had been walking home with Yugi and Tristan, laughing and having a good time… he remembered an odd blue light, and a mysterious woman though. Perhaps they were the reason why his memory was a great big blank spot.

But now he was down in some dank dungeon, with Mai, money bags, and his little sister. _Something_ must have happened while he was asleep, or whatever happened to him, for this to occur. But whatever it was, he would trust in Mai that everything was okay. And hopefully she would tell him what had taken place at some point… he hated to be left in the dark like this.

And Mai… oh, just seeing Mai again, Joey felt so happy. It seemed like forever since the last time he saw her, and in her absence, he even tried to look for her a few times. But he could never find her… she was always beyond his reach. Always hidden from him… now he had found her, though it was by a strange twist of fate, and he couldn't understand why she had left in the first place. Being with her again cleared his conscious—at least now he knew that she was right here, and he could look out for her, so no harm would come. Oh, how he had missed her so.

"We'll be back for ya soon, Tristan" Serenity said beside her older brother, with Kaiba standing nearby. The three started to head for the stairs, as Joey turned back to get Mai, who was still standing by the old cell.

"You comin', Mai?" Joey called out. Mai waved over at them.

"Just a sec, guys… go on up without me. I'll come soon" Mai was about to join them, but she had caught sight of the frightened eyes of the other inmates still in the cell they had previously been in. None of them had moved at all… they remained still within the room, as if too scared to try and escape. Mai was about to say something, but a whispered voice interrupted from inside.

"Get going!" It was a young girl's voice, maybe about the same age as Serenity. Mai could see the eyes blink at her. "Go on! We'll leave in a little while… just get going! Take this chance!"

Mai nodded. "Are you sure? You can come with us, you know…."

"No, we'll wait. We need to help the ones who can't get out themselves… we're not ready, but you are. Go! Maybe you can stop this madness, and help everyone else imprisoned here."

With this Mai smiled. "Don't worry hon… that's what we intend to do." And she turned towards the stairway, following her friends and out of their prison forever.

---

Author's Note: _Wow, finally… didn't think I would finish this in time!_

_R x R soon!_


	70. Frozen Without a Heart

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fan fiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Oh, thank you, everyone! The reviews are AWESOME! Can't believe we're already at 70 chapters… it's been a long journey, and it ain't stopping now!_

_I know that all of you (I seriously mean "all of you", by the way, since nearly everyone has asked this question) want to know what happened to Atemu and Yugi, but it must wait another chapter more. (_Gets bombarded with sharp objects and a pitch fork

_Ah, STOP IT! We're going back to Anzu and Bakura now…_ (dodges a kunai and someone's kitchen utensils) _… seriously, **stop it**! And, um, that's it… _(Barely missed by a sharpened pencil) _… Okay, WHO threw that?_

_Peeps I love and who love meh back_….

**Gaibomaster XP, Jna-chan, Rachel, Isis the Sphinx, spiritfire, Maridel, White Dragon Girl, ray1, ATEMU&ANZU FAN, **_and _**becca**

#2 Author's Note: _All thoughts are in italics… and all that jazz. Oh, that wonderful jazz… and crap. _

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 70: Frozen Without a Heart….**

Anzu and Bakura's jeep had been running smoothly for another few minutes after their conversation. All seemed well and without tension for a pleasantly long time… until, out of nowhere, Bakura gagged and arched over in pain, clutching the steering wheel for dear life. Anzu gasped in horror.

"Bakura!" Anzu shouted, as the albino thief groaned in misery, his right hand grasping his chest, clasping the area over his heart. His eyes looked at her through slits as he squinted them against the terrible hurting. "Bakura, are you okay?"

"Gah…ugh… do I… _look_ okay… to you…?" Bakura growled, his chestnut eyes seething. He hissed as he barely managed to bring the jeep to a slow stop, having it parked at the base of a very large sand dune. When he could finally release control of the vehicle, he started panting, coming back up from his arch to lean against the car seat, exhausted. Anzu watched him, her expression laced with fear and worry.

"Bakura…." Anzu unconsciously placed her hand on his shoulder, only to have it harshly brushed away by Bakura's trembling ones. His breathing started to calm a little, as his face was relieved of its contorted appearance as he relaxed. He sighed loudly, his eyes misty as he stared out in front of him at presumably nothing.

"We are… close…" Bakura mumbled absently. Anzu gave the Tomb Robber a funny look.

"Close?" she asked. "To what? Samira's palace?"

Bakura's gaze turned to the brunette, a scowl tugging at his face. "No, Anzu, we're about to reach _Mexico_… of course I mean Samira's palace!" He looked back at the desert. "…Yes, it isn't far now…."

Anzu looked down at the GPS system under the car radio—Bakura was in fact correct, as they were very near to one of the other beeping dots on the screen. It had to be the evil vampire's palace, of that she was sure. But as Anzu glanced around at their present surroundings, she could not see what he was referring to. Where was the princess's lair? Perhaps hidden, behind the sand dune that lay in front of them?

Bakura appeared to have gotten over his odd spell, as he now sat upright, stretching out his arm and listening to the bones crack as he rolled his head. Anzu watched him cautiously, unsure of what to make of his distressing episode.

"Um, Bakura?" she asked timidly. The spirit glared in her direction—a sign that his attention was hers momentarily. "What… just happened… to you? Why did you—"

"Act as if someone just shot me in the ribs?" he snarled, and Anzu nodded faintly. Bakura sighed deeply, his eyes returning to the sand dune in front of them, growing hazy for just a minute… like he was looking back at forgotten memories. "That's just a little taste of Samira's spell, coming undone. We must be getting closer to her, because the power of it is growing stronger… much more of this to come, and it will get far worse…."

"It only happens when you get close to her?" Anzu asked. Bakura gave her a sort of half-nod, not really paying her much attention as he took in steady breaths. Anzu pondered this for a moment, brushing some of her silken locks behind her ear. "Then, what about at the museum, or in the cavern? You didn't have this problem before—"

"She's created a barrier around this place, and herself" Bakura interrupted, frowning. "I can sense it… and she's angry. Upset… about something. She's mentally aware of my presence here—that's why it's taking effect now, unlike before… she must not be feeling stable, for it to be this strong…."

_Maybe Atemu has gotten to her_, Anzu thought wistfully. She could only pray for that much, even though the knot in her stomach told her otherwise. She looked upon Bakura solemnly—he did seem to be in a lot of pain right now, much more than he was actually displaying. She only wished that there was something she could do to help him, but—

_But I do_! Anzu gazed down at her chest, at the cartouche pendant she had. It glittered under the bright moonlight, like an ice crystal. Anzu fingered it in thought. _Yugi said that my cartouche can heal wounds, seen and unseen… maybe I can undo the spell on Bakura's heart too! _She glanced over at Bakura again, her eyes soft and sympathetic. _It's a crazy idea, but it's worth a shot, I guess… we have nothing to lose by it._

As Bakura stared out at the sand dunes, obviously unaware of Anzu at the present moment, the brunette quietly reached at the nape of her neck and undid the clasp for her necklace, bringing the cartouche from her neck to her hands. She felt the brimming power within it, whispering at her touch like a cool and gentle wave of mist. She stared at it for a moment, before slowly reaching over with her free hand to grab Bakura's—

It was smacked away by Bakura's hand, and the albino hadn't even glanced her way. Anzu pulled back her hand, glaring at Bakura in shock and hurt.

"Bakura—"

"Your little gift from the Pharaoh isn't going to save me" Bakura said, not even turning his chocolate gaze to peer at her, instead content with the landscape. "Nothing can. You'll only hurt yourself if you try to help me." Anzu opened her mouth to speak, but Bakura gestured to her harshly. "I'm not finished. I can't say I don't appreciate the showing of pity… which I never need, so you shouldn't even bother… but this spell on my heart is too great, and too far into me for any of your petty magic tricks to wish away. If anything, I'm doomed to suffer for the wrongs I have committed—and this is the way the Gods intended it so. You can't try to stop it—not now, not ever. This is the fate by which I tread."

Anzu wanted to say something, but knew it better to stay silent. Her azure eyes downcast, Anzu tried to keep herself from feeling much pity upon the shameless Thief King… but found that very hard to do with as kind a heart as hers.

_He doesn't sound like himself_, Anzu thought. _I can't explain it, but… his attitude sounds… different. It's like he's speaking with something new in his voice, something I can't describe… something that sounds like… heart._

Bakura was silent as he finished telling off Anzu—he didn't feel like continuing, and the foolish brunette got the message pretty fast anyhow. He wished he could say he didn't have the heart to keep going, but that would be a lie. One that he only wished were true again.

Funny, how strange it felt to have emotions run wild through the veins and pierce the heart once more… Bakura wondered if this was how women felt when he noted them becoming… moody. His host had said something about PMS once, but he had paid no mind—after all, what were matters of the heart to someone who didn't have one? But now his mind searched for answers.

It didn't feel like riding a bike, as some mortals would have referred to it as… more like a camel wagon with mules and squares wheels, with him bound and gagged in the back. Not at all a pleasant experience.

But since when was having feelings a stroll through the park anyways? Bakura never remembered it to be—he recalled how his heart had betrayed him many a times, and having lost his so long ago, he forgot how miserable it made him feel. He could only dream of being the robotic being of darkness that he once was… not this sap at the mercy of the whims of his weeping heart.

He had forgotten what guilt and sorrow felt like. Now he knew all over again… it was like a crushing blow, a heavy pressure on the chest that made you feel down and completely helpless to the falling sensation you were succumb to. Like the world was being flushed down the drain, with you caught in the downward spiral as you gagged on the thought of all those you had hurt.

He now remembered the faces of people he had killed… only a few of them, but it was enough. An elderly man trying to protect the last of his family's money… a small merchant's son who had accidentally gotten in his way… a pregnant wife who wouldn't stop crying when he needed silence. He saw their faces in his mind, remembered their screams and pleas, kept feeling their last breaths on his skin as they released them, their eyes glazed and vessels still as they fell to the hard earth. He remembered his clammy hands, the beads of sweat on his brow and neck as he tried to swallow, finding a lack of saliva in his mouth from his fear. His damp hair, his trembling hands… oh the trembling, the terrible trembling. And the harsh breaths, the sharp inhales as he tried to restrain his own terror… only to find that he was feeding the horror desperately. He was alone with the blood of innocent people staining his tanned hands… and later, the terrible nightmares of his own tears corroded with the stench of blood as his face became lathered in the substance… how he would wake up at night, screaming in a town where only the ghosts of his family and friends would answer his cries with their own solemn screeching. Everything… all of the horrible desires, and even more so, the remorse—

Bakura glared, trying to repress the feelings. _This isn't good… I don't know how much longer I can tolerate this. The closer I get to Samira now the worse this will become, and I'm already panting like a damn dog! _Bakura closed his eyes, taking in a somber inhale, before smiling a sad smile. _But I have to get Anzu to that palace, so that maybe she can do something about this. I wish I could kill that bitch Samira myself but… in the condition I'm in, I'll be lucky to make it to the throne room. I'll have to rely on these mortal fools to finish the job… or else, I don't know how much longer I can hold on. _

Bakura could then feel his host shifting in his soul room. Ryou must have been getting anxious, being locked up for so long… Bakura found that he couldn't help but smirk. His little hikari never did like to be kept in his soul room for too long—he did much better in his vessel, out in the sunshine where he could smile freely to the world. He was always hiding, but lately he had become more outgoing, more forceful… feistier. Something like himself, Bakura decided, when he was younger, and still pure, still an innocent soul of light… back when his heart was his own and his world had yet to crumble down around him. It made Bakura remember… it made him feel, warm inside—

_Ugh! _Bakura spat, a look of disgust on his face. _I liked the guilt and misery better. This spell is making me wanna vomit._ Regaining his composure, Bakura's face resolved to a sharp, determined scowl—he grabbed the wheel and started the engine again, his foot slamming the pedal into the floor. The car jolted forward—Anzu jerked back, grabbing the seat in surprise.

"Bakura, what are—?"

"Stop asking questions already!" Bakura commanded sternly. His hair whipped behind his head, a flowing river of platinum in the dark breeze; Anzu watched, terrified, as he floored the vehicle and send them flying up the dune, with no signs of stopping. The brunette held her breath.

"BAKURA!" The jeep soared over the summit, nearly air-born as sand flew in their wake. Gravity was no longer a concept as Anzu floated weightlessly in her seat for a moment, barely suppressing a scream as her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Bakura was unfazed as the jeep took to the air, and showed them the view beyond. Anzu gasped.

"There it is!" Anzu shouted, pointing to the landscape before them. Under the bright moonlight it was completely visible; surrounded by a wall of sand brick, Samira's palace looked just as Atemu's had when Anzu had gone to the Memory World with her friends. Same design as any other Egyptian fortress… it was completely disconcerting, and yet, still grand and spectacular to behold.

Anzu would have appreciated such an awe-striking view, but it was short-lived as the jeep came crashing down into the sand, zooming down the dune as it bucked and heaved. Still, it eventually landed smoothly at the bottom, where Bakura kicked it into park—Anzu almost thought she heard the vehicle release an audible sigh, but then there was only silence, as the sleeping desert settled in around them.

Bakura jerked the keys from the ignition—gracefully he leapt from the driver's seat out of the jeep, before straightening out his ruffled clothes and marching over to the back end. Anzu followed suit, but preferred just to open the car door and slide out instead of the Thief King's method—she also moved towards the trunk, curious to see what he intended to do.

"Bakura?" She watched as the tomb robber grumbled incoherently, taking the keys as they jingled under his motion and jamming them into the keyhole aligned with the trunk door. He turned it sharply, and there was a discernible click as the trunk door jumped open for Bakura to lift fully—the albino slid his fingers under the lid and pushed it open, revealing the inside compartment. Bakura smirked.

"Bingo…" he chimed darkly. Anzu peered inside, and saw what he meant—the entire trunk was filled with casings for firearms and had empty sheaths for swords and other blades. It reminded Anzu of how Joey's backpack was nicknamed "the graveyard of candy wrappers", because that was all that was visible inside of it. It was Joey's primary trash can, so it was appropriately called such. This one, however, was far more lethal, but just the same, all the casings and sheaths were empty—all of the weapons had been removed.

Anzu picked up one of the sheathes—a leather one with deerskin and some rawhide rope bound around it, feathers and beads dangling from the string… but no sharp dagger within. She frowned, disappointed. "Well, _this_ sure is useful…"

"I had assumed those nimrods of Samira's had taken most of the artillery" Bakura said as he pushed through the empty coverings, "but I was hoping that they had perhaps left some, in case they were in need of them during a long fight. Looks as if my suspicions proved false for once."

Anzu glanced over at Bakura as the Tomb Robber continued to navigate through the piles of useless scabbards, her eyebrow arched as a smile crossed her lips. "'For once'?" she asked sarcastically. The Thief King barely glanced back up at her, but a small smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"I haven't seen anything of value yet…" Bakura said, failing to take Anzu up on her previous comment, "but perhaps this search will still prove fruitful—." Suddenly, Bakura's eyes lit up, and it appeared as though his hands now grasped something. He licked his lips hungrily, as he pulled whatever he found out. Anzu watched him, standing a good distance from the trunk and her semi-loyal companion.

She blinked, watching his expression change. "Find anything good, Bakura?" The Thief King paused his actions, standing up as he brought the weapon out of the trunk to display to the inquisitive brunette.

"Heh…" Bakura chuckled. "Can't say I found anything good, but…" he showed his prize to Anzu, and she looked at the weapon with a sense of marvel. It appeared to be a beautifully hand-crafted dagger, one with a curved edge that was similar to a scitmar, only smaller. It shimmered under the iridescent moon, obvious well-taken care of. The handle was a polished bronze, shining like a tiny sun in Yami Bakura's hand, with an emerald embedded at the end. It was really quite a plain blade, but there was something about it that made Anzu gaze at it with a sense of respect… inside, it was a powerful weapon of massive proportions. "… I did find something… extravagant."

"Is that all that's in there?" Anzu asked, peering inside the trunk for any other weapons before digging her hands into the mess. Bakura shrugged nonchalantly. "I can't be sure, but it's pretty scarce in there, Anzu. If you do find anything, I guess you may consider yourself lucky—"

"Hey! I found something!" Anzu said, her voice full of child-like glee. Bakura whipped around, and was disappointed to see the girl holding up a sling-shot made of wood and a strange rubbery animal skin for the pouch. A bag of what Bakura could assume were the marbles to be used with the pathetic weapon was in Anzu's opposite hand. Somehow, the brunette seemed proud of her accomplishment.

Bakura arched an eyebrow, though he was secretly twitching inside with aggravation. "… Do you jest, in showing me that… play-toy?"

Anzu blinked, putting her hands down to her sides. "Um…what was that? Is there something wrong with it?" Bakura groaned, shaking his head with a mocking smile on his face to hide his annoyance, as Anzu checked over her newly-acquired weapon.

"You can't really be serious?" Bakura asked, pointing at the sling-shot in Anzu's hand. "What kind of a weapon is _that_? It is a child's play-thing, not a tool of war." Bakura snorted, his arms crossed at his chest. "If you believe that _that_ will protect you, then allow me to be the first to say 'I told you so' when you are on the ground dying from internal bleeding."

Anzu narrowed her gaze, fingering one of the marbles from the drawstring bag she found with her sling-shot. "Oh, really? Then what's it doing in the trunk of the homicidal vampire soldiers' jeep? Hmm?"

Bakura frowned deeply—he did not like being challenged. "How should I know, mortal? What I am trying to tell you, is that such a thing will not get you far in Samira's fortress. It will leave you at the mercy of her forces for sure."

Anzu, still displeased by Bakura's attitude, gestured back at the open trunk. "Well, there isn't anything better in there… or would you care to look inside again and prove me wrong?" Bakura glared at her, and they stared each other down, neither wanting to give in. Finally Bakura shrugged his shoulders, as he sauntered over to the trunk and slammed it closed with an evident thud.

"Fine, used the damn thing for all I care!" Bakura grumbled, walking around the jeep and towards the palace. Anzu followed him, an intrigued smirk on her face. "Stupid mortal girl… you act as if I'll be chaperoning you through this place the whole Ra-damn time…."

Anzu raised an eyebrow in a joking mood. "And won't you be, Bakura?" The Thief King grew quiet, and stopped walking. Anzu stopped as well, wondering what he was doing.

He turned his head towards her, so that she saw it at a side-glance… even though she could barely see his gaze she noted something dismal in his russet-brown eyes, and it disturbed her greatly.

Bakura sighed. "Perhaps… but there may be other matters… that I will have to attend to." That was all that the tomb robber said, before he continued to head for the secluded palace. Anzu felt a knot in her stomach—what was _that_ supposed to mean? What other things could he have left to do in that place? Pushing that thought behind her, Anzu trailed behind Bakura, and the two fell silent as they approached the large doors that made way to the entrance of the vampire's lair.

They were a few feet away from the double doors, when the sound of a swish was heard above them—both their heads craned up to see a dark shadow swoop down from the top of the palace. It landed directly in front of them, and both Anzu and Bakura braced themselves—they didn't realize they would have to fight this soon. Bakura brought forth his dagger, and Anzu prepared her sling-shot.

But the creature didn't leap at them, hissing and moaning as some of the other strange enemies they had previously encountered. This one, as he was hidden by the shadow of the giant fortress, stood up at full height from when it landed in a crouched position, and took a small step towards the two. Both Bakura and Anzu took a cautious step back, weapons ready.

"Out of our way, servant!" Bakura commanded, motioning with his blade to the side. "Step aside and let us through. We have no quarrel with you—only with your Mistress."

To their surprise, the creature before them nodded. Then it spoke in a rich, deep voice.

"And I have no quarry with you, bearers of light." Then the beast stepped forward, revealing itself in the glistening moonlight. Anzu did not recognize the strange person, or thing… she wasn't sure which it/he was, only that he was covered from head to toe in what appeared to be black feathers and bore wings of the same design. Only Bakura remembered the foe, but still his weapon stay aloft.

Bakura snorted. "I resent being called a 'light bearer'… it's so goody-two shoes. But what are you to make such a comment—you who took the Pharaoh here in the first place? I saw you when you carried him from the canyon not too far from here."

Crimson eyes like ruby jewels glittered remorsefully, staring at the ground in dismay. "He was a willing passenger, and they were my orders. Do you not take pity upon the servant who harbors the will of another, and not his own?"

"Not if that will is to kill us!" Bakura sneered. The winged creature nodded, understanding.

"Of that I can comprehend. But trust when I say I am not here to kill you—if I were, you would already be—"

"Dead?" Bakura asked mockingly. "Get a new line—that one is older than I am, and no one likes old catch phrases anymore than they like pesky servants such as yourself. Now… if you aren't here to put us in body bags, then what, pray tell, is your business with us?"

Anzu watched as the dark being sighed heavily, its wings slightly curling around it as they trembled involuntarily. "The area is quiet—there were only a few watchmen near this door, but they were no match for shadow magic. And the Pharaoh has taken care of those inside—you should find little resistance in your path."

Anzu blinked, confused. "Wait—are you _helping_ us?" she asked. The creature nodded uncertainly.

"In a way, I suppose…" the creature said. "Though, it is a battle just to perform this much assistance for your cause. Already I am feeling the burden of the Dark Queen's will upon my own… I cannot hold it off much longer, so I suggest that you make your way inside, before I can follow you."

Anzu looked into the entity's sad garnet orbs, and felt pity upon him… he was helping them against the will of his Mistress, for some reason that was not important right now. She wanted to help him… maybe with her cartouche, she could break the witch's hold over him. She fingered the cartouche indecisively, and felt its cool presence beneath her touch.

Bakura seemed to notice where her thoughts drifted, as he glanced over at her and shook his head. Anzu gave him a questioning look, and Bakura glared in response.

"He said to go, so why should we defy him?" Bakura snapped. Anzu wanted to argue back, but she knew it would be useless. She turned back to the demon before her.

"…Why are you helping us?" Anzu asked timidly. The creature merely shook his head.

"There is not enough time to explain" he said, before suddenly his body jerked, and he fell to his knees. Anzu started to rush over to him, but Bakura's arm came up, blocking her way. "G-Go on… hurry, before I completely lose my c-control…!"

Anzu tried to get past Bakura's arm, but the Thief King then grabbed her by the wrist, his face up very close to hers as she felt his icy breath brush against her skin. "You heard him!" Bakura barked, before running with Anzu being towed reluctantly behind. "Let's hurry inside!"

Anzu looked behind her as the black-winged being trembled on his knees, holding his head painfully… she wanted to help him, but there were greater matters at stake here. If she killed the princess, then there still might be a chance she could set him free. Maybe she could, but she wouldn't know until that mission was accomplished anyhow.

There was so much to do yet… and so little time. Yugi and the others had to be freed of Samira's control, and Atemu would have to be found. If she could do that, maybe she would have a chance at beating Samira. And if not, she always had Bakura on her side.

If he stayed true to his word, though, she may very well end up in this fight alone. That was what she feared… and what she prayed would not happen. She had to believe that things would be alright in the end.

The creature with black feathers remained on the ground, kneeling against the weight of his Queen's power, when he heard the double doors to the palace open and close in the background behind him. He was in much more pain then he appeared to be, but even so, a faint smile of hope was visible even beneath the cloak of black gauze material that covered his face.

Just before he relented to the power of the vampire princess's will, he sighed softly, thinking of the future that would surely come from the victory of the bearers of light. It would be a good future, a kind future… and one without illusions. One where he could hopefully gain his true form back, and appear the way he once did, thousands of years ago.

_I wish you luck, warriors of the light, in this battle of yours. Maybe… just maybe… you will be the ones… to finally defeat the Dark Queen_.

And then he faded back into the prison that once was his mind, and his thoughts dissolved back into the darkness.

---

Author's Note: _Yes, yes, I KNOW! You all want to know what the hell happened to our precious Yugi and Atemu… so do I, actually… HA-HA, just joking! I know what's gonna happen._

(Crickets chirp, as no one thought that to be very funny)

O.o

_Next chapter will hopefully come soon, guys! Be patient with me!_


	71. Shadow Labyrinth

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _Oh… my… RA…!_

_GOMEN, GOMEN, GOMEN!! (bows repeatedly) Oh, my lovies, I am SO, SO SORRY for the ridiculously long delay (it's been, what, nine months? Holy crap, has the time flown by!). Yes, yes, I feel very terrible for keeping all of you. If any of you are still around or interested, then here is my latest update for you! (I hope there's at least ONE fan still waiting… please, don't leave me, I'm trying….)_

_As for WHY I have taken so long to return to the RotH-universe, it's on my profile, but just cutting to the chase, I was diagnosed with cancer in December and have thus been, um, kinda pre-occupied. As for the months prior to that, school and tennis and a constricting limit on my computer time kept me from my beloved RotH… as well as Prince of the Orichalcos, Desert Aqua, and Do You Dream of Me: Duelist (that one was delayed post-December, because I simply couldn't keep up)._

_Now, I know most of you have seen me upload lots of one-shots, and the reason for that is that I am in the YGO Fanfiction Contest and made a commitment to stay in it (actually it's into its second season, and I was the champion of Season One. XD Hoorah for me!) For some reason it's a lot easier on the brain to write out one-shots, though I did desperately tried to cling to whatever plot bunnies I had for this and get them down._

_Obviously it's been taking a while to get my head back out of the clouds (too many drugs… so little time) and switch gears._

_This does not mean I'm having a full comeback. I'm half-way through my chemotherapy (six rounds down, six more to go… basically that means another five months… TT) so chances are I might not get back to this for a time. If I'm lucky I'll start regular updates again, but no promises, people. I'm having a good week, so I feel clear-headed and well enough to try and get this done._

_So, moving on…._

_Peeps who love me and I loves them back: _**larklover, stardog252, shadow-fox313, Synogiok, Michele Alvarez, 'Light Shining-Angel', LaZella, TamerofDragons, Angel's Archer, Gaibomaster XD, Shinigami-Kat, KidDragonRyu, Tearless Soul, SelenexAngel, Island Heart, Volume-5, ArchangelAki, Elfbrat18, Jna-chan, ANZU&ATEMU FAN, Jessica Morgan, spiritfire, Hikari2, Maridel, White Dragon Girl, Isis the Sphinx, **_and_ **becca**.

_Whoa… that's a lotta peeps._

_And that's not even counting the people who reviewed outside of last chapter… I'm only putting down who reviewed Chapter 70, so there were even more than THIS… I love you guys, you don't how much I really do! (glomps everyone)_

_Thank you SO MUCH for staying patient with me!_

#2 Author's Note: _Thoughts in italics. Need I say more?_

_P.S. Why does everyone keep thinking Atemu being changed into a vampire is a BAD thing? XD Hee hee, I am so evil…._

**Recap****: Since it's been a while since my last update, even **_**I've**_** forgotten much of what happened in the last few chapters, so I'm sure everyone would benefit from a little refresher course.**

**Here's the skinny (Oh God, I sound so nerdy): Samira has spilled the beans on the true past of Atemu and Egypt, only causing more confusion for our hero. His uncertainty is quelled, however, by the return of his mother, the great Vampire Queen Rakia, who lulls him into a false sense of comfort and then proceeds to change **_**him**_** into her vampire son. Meanwhile, down in the dungeons, Mai, Kaiba, and Serenity meet up with Joey and Tristan—who are still under Samira's control. After much struggling Mai is finally able to reach Joey, and after knocking out Tristan for safety the four head out of the prison and into the palace. In the Afterlife, King ****Akhenamkhanen and Siamun plan to gather all the High Priests together to inform them of the trials inflicted upon their Pharaoh… and last but not least, Anzu and Bakura arrived at Samira's palace, only to be warned of the dangers within by a mysterious servant before heading inside to help Atemu before it's too late.**

**And all the while everyone is still wondering, "What the fuck happened to YUGI?!"**

**I hope that clears some of the cobwebs from your memories. It certainly did mine. XD**

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 71: Shadow Labyrinth….**

What Anzu saw when she entered the double doors of Samira's palace, was _not_ what she had been expecting.

They had passed the threshold of the large doorway, hearing stone grind against stone as the doors shifted against the ground to let them in. As Anzu and Bakura stepped forward into the musky air and ancient atrium, their senses were instantly overshadowed by a nauseating scent that assaulted their nostrils and burned their eyes—something reeked terribly within the stone confines of the foyer, and as their eyes adjusted to the dim light made by the many lit torches on the walls, it became obvious as to what that something was.

Throngs of dead bodies littered the sand-stone floor, with small pools of blood seeping amid them like rivers between masses of land. Small groans whispered through the air from the unconscious ones—the ones that barely escaped death by the skin of their teeth. Weapons protruded from the men's hands, some spears and swords standing straight up from where the soldiers fell upon them—the whole atmosphere dripped of decay and destruction, so much so that Anzu wanted to vomit, feeling the queasiness flood over her.

_What happened here_? she pondered, following Bakura inside. The two stone doors, which seemed stationary in their open gape, suddenly flew back into place, shutting off any means of escape—Anzu gasped, wheeling around to watch the doors slam right in her face, a brushing of the night air outside hissing over her skin. It chilled her, but not as much as the thought of being trapped within this place of death—this place of demise, this castle of torment. Of what other evils would she find hidden with its walls and dungeons? She shivered at the bleakness of her hope, all over some dead bodies and a self-sufficient door.

Bakura had stopped where he was as well, eyeing the door with much regret. His composure was far cooler than Anzu's, however, as his look of alarm returned to its grimace. He turned back on his heel, towards the obstacle course of empty or pain-filled vessels.

"Come on," he commanded to Anzu, and the teen turned to him, her eyes questioning and hiding her obvious fear. He scowled at her unease. "What now? Don't tell me that you're _afraid_?" He emphasized the last word, lacing it with sarcastic venom. Anzu's eyes narrowed at him.

"Who said I was?" she snapped. Bakura shrugged his shoulders, letting his eyes speak of all his scorn.

"No one did—it's written plain as day on your face, my dear," Bakura mocked. "And I suggest you lose it real soon—the moment you start your journey through this palace, the darkness may play on your most dreaded fears. You'll need to stay strong to not wander off course."

"Don't worry about me, then," Anzu said defiantly. "I _won't_." She had forced herself to reflect upon this issue already—on her fear, on her uncertainty, on all the things that made her the pathetic mortal that she was. She knew that, of all the terrors that Samira could throw at Anzu, or could use to block her path, nothing would be worse than her own fears… than herself, of all things. If she wasn't brave enough to see beyond her frail human state, than it would be _she_ that would cause her own peril—and with the way things were turning out, she could _not_ let that happen.

She had left her fears at the threshold. There was no turning back now.

Bakura nodded to her sharply, and to Anzu's surprise a small smirk blessed his tense features. She noticed in the dim torchlight how his dirt-colored eyes—usually so dull and full of darkness—were now sparkling with cunning and a fire of their own. There was life in those eyes, something that replaced the emptiness that once lingered there. Anzu wondered if that was the undoing of Samira's spell—was it returning life to those once cold and unforgiving eyes?

Bakura seemed not to notice her staring at his eyes, as he headed back towards the maze of dead and useless bodies, maneuvering around them quickly. Anzu watched as his body moved in an elegant manner that suggested his marvelous thieving skills—to be able to move with such a likeness to the shadows, and flow like water down the steady Nile. Anzu almost had to force herself to look away long enough to try and get herself across the room, and over the masses of bodies around her.

The stench was overpowering as she stepped tentatively through the entanglement of limbs, finding herself looking more at the walls or straight ahead, so as to avoid peering intently at the blood and death that surrounded her. She was far behind Bakura, as the thief had moved swiftly without so much as staggering—Anzu had a more difficult time, as her boots did not give her the same balance that Bakura's natural grace did. She stumbled a few times, almost landing face-first into a puddle of sticky crimson and another time nearly coming face-to-face with one of the dead soldiers, close to meeting her lips to his cold ones. She shuddered as she brought herself back up, and continued on her way.

Bakura was finally at the edge of the room, standing on the stairway that lined the opposite wall—he was watching her with amusement, smiling to himself as she glared at him. His russet eyes watched Anzu's clumsy dance around the corpses, trying her best not to look upon them or trip over them. Finally she reached where he stood, trudging up the stairs with a little more effort than necessary.

Bakura smirked. "Too much for you, mortal?" he teased.

Anzu eyed him, her lip curling slightly upward despite herself. "N-No. I can handle myself." Her cerulean eyes glanced among the litter of mangled bodies, and a shiver ran up her spine. "Who could have done this…?"

"I'd say the Pharaoh was having quite the field day." Anzu wheeled back around, eyes wide as she zoomed in on Bakura. "I wish he had saved me a few. It's kind of boring letting the palace brat do all the work for us…."

"Are… are you saying _Atemu_ did this…?" Anzu looked back at the dead and near-dead soldiers, and shook her head as if that would make it all go away.

"Atemu wouldn't…," she whispered absently.

Bakura snorted. "Then do you care explaining to me who else has the capabilities to take down this many of Samira's men and has such a strong desire to do it as well?" He stared at the wall. "Listen to me. Don't put your precious Pharaoh on a pedestal of innocence. Though you make think otherwise, he _is_ half vampire, and knowing how disgustingly loyal he is to you and his former host, I'm surprised he didn't kill _all_ of these fools." His gaze, dark and cold once more, turned back to her and narrowed. "He's the only one who could have fought this harshly, and you know it."

Anzu continued to shake her head slowly back and forth. She could hear the moans of the ones close to their demise, and the pangs of anguish worded by the ones who would not die but were bound by excruciating pain all the same. So much destruction… so much hurt….

She tried looking Bakura in the eyes, and found that she could not meet his gaze. "But… but Atemu, he never has… he never would—"

"Stop fooling yourself," Bakura snapped. He turned on his heel and started to head up the stairs, towards the dark hall ahead. "Maybe you've forgotten, but before the Pharaoh grew close to you and all your little buddies, he was no different than I. He played the Shadow Games, and he punished the loser to a penalty game. He was as dark and as vengeful as I was—it wasn't until he was infected with Yugi Mutou's light that he started getting soft."

He stopped at the top of the stairs, standing with his back to her callously. "Do you not believe he would go to such lengths to save his stupid aibou and the rest of you, his _friends_?" When Anzu didn't reply back, his scowl only deepened as he then continued on into the next room. "It's not as if it matter to me. Come along—we're wasting time as it is."

Anzu rushed on after him, choosing not to be left alone among the moaning bodies and stench of death. She wanted to argue back with Bakura but found the urge to tongue-lash him lodged firmly in her throat, refusing to be made known.

She did not want to believe him. Even though there was a logical part of her mind that echoed his words, she still didn't want to believe it. She did not want to think of Atemu as a raging, killing monster.

_It's just the casualty of war_, Anzu told herself as she caught up to Bakura's side and slowed her pace, though only slightly as Bakura seemed to be flying down the hall himself, into another room darker than the one they were in. _This is a war—a war between darkness and light. There is always death in war. There are always casualties._

_But_…, she sucked in a small breath, _it can work both ways…._ Gnawing on her lower lip she pushed the thought to the recesses of her mind. _No, my friends will be fine. We won't lose anyone… we'll beat Samira and we'll win. _Even though she fought against it the images she had long dreaded formed in her mind' eye: images of Yugi, of Joey and Tristan, drawing their last breaths before she could save them. Calling out for her, and she wasn't there to answer… she wasn't there to help them—

_It's not too late_. She straightened her stance, realizing that she had hunched over in her sadness. Her eyes glistened, as they had been on the verge of tears that were shed one too many times already. _I'm coming, guys. Just wait a little longer…._

She pictured their faces. Yugi, Joey, Tristan… smiling, never knowing of the terrible fate bestowed upon them. Smiling to the world, and at her…. _Just a little longer… I'm almost there._

Anzu followed Bakura through the different halls. All of them were dark, shadowed in a twilight haze, leaving Anzu nearly blind and helpless. If not for Bakura being so close to her—and with his stunning white hair, so easy to see through the darkness—she would be lost, her hands groping the wall to guide her.

She could not see the details of the rooms they passed in the course of their journey; she assumed they all resembled the one they first walked into: sandstone walls, some hieroglyphic sketching here and there… surprisingly basic for a palace of Egyptian royalty. The only thing that was absent were the lit torches; Anzu could not see into the haze much farther than maybe a foot or two, but there could have been unlit torches attached to the wall. She wished she could light one now… she hated feeling so blind.

Anzu's gaze watched the Tomb Robber for a small time before she cleared her throat shyly. "Bakura…?"

"Hn? What?"

"How are you able to walk around here so easily? It's so dark I can barely see my hand in front of my face."

The Thief King did not slow his pace, nor did he turn to look at her. "… Old habits, I guess. Being a thief, I practically lived in darkness—slept during the day to prowl the streets and tombs at night. It seems from that, I have inherited a sort of nocturnal vision." He chuckled dryly.

A faint smile tugged on the corner of Anzu's mouth. "But even _with_ that, do you still remember the layout of the palace?" Her gaze studied him. "You're moving as if you have an idea of where we're heading…."

At this Bakura did stop. Anzu halted beside him, watching curiously as he faced her. She could hardly make out his pale face, but his sharp eyes seemed to pierce hers nonetheless.

A humorless smirk formed on his lips. "Oh, trust me; my memory is far from being _that_ good." He tugged on something hanging from his neck, and in the dimness Anzu could see the glint of gold. The Millennium Ring. "But who needs to remember when one has _this_ to guide them…?"

Anzu's eyes widened. "The Ring…."

"Yes—not only can it find other Millennium Items, but with its power I can locate other things well," Bakura responded. "Objects, places… even people. It makes thieving _all_ the simpler."

Anzu gazed downward at the mystical item. She could just make out its form, and the fact that one of its arms was pointing to the right, down the hall. It glowed of an unholy light as she noted this, as if reacting to her realization.

"So you can use the Ring to track down Samira?" Anzu asked.

Bakura nodded. "From this close, yes. Outside of the palace would be a bit more challenging, but not impossible. It helps that her aura is quite strong as well." A distant look came to the Tomb Robber's eyes, but it was gone before Anzu could discover it. Wheeling back around, Bakura headed down the hall even quicker than the last time. "Enough chit-chat. Hurry up."

Bakura felt Anzu rush up behind him, not wanting to be left alone to find her way. The spirit's eyes narrowed dangerously—it was too bad her fate might come to that.

He seemed composed, as usual; the same icy presence, the same arrogant stare and dark, cruel smirk. A light chuckle formed in his thoughts—if he wasn't such an excellent thief, maybe he could consider becoming an actor. He was certainly a good liar, if that was a genuine qualification, for on the inside, he was not as calm and in control as he projected.

He could feel it coming… the ebbs and flows of emotion, the sea of memories beginning to churn, the small ripples turning into pounding waves. In secret and in silence he winced, forcing himself not to reach up and grasp his heart in pain. That would alert Anzu—she would be worried about his condition.

Bakura snorted resentfully. He didn't want her sympathy or concern right now. He never wanted it in the first place, he never needed it.

He didn't need sympathy from anyone.

But… needing something was far different from _wanting_ something….

Bakura bit his lip. _No! I don't __**need **__anyone's compassion, I never __**wanted**__ anyone's kindness_! He trudged on, his shoes echoing down the halls like menacing thuds along with the dainty clicks of Anzu's boots. _I'm not some weak little child who can't defend themselves. I don't have any use for empathy. Emotions are for the weak… I found that out long, long ago._

He found that out only because his emotions had been taken from him. Being a cold, heartless shell, he grew strong; with the absence of fear, he knew no bounds. But before Samira froze his heart, was he really so much weaker? Didn't his passion for his village and their revenge, along with the adrenaline rush of his ventures, give him the edge he needed? Maybe even more so… something to live for?

_Those things __**did**__ make me weak! _Bakura tried to convince himself. _Without them my mind was clear, unclouded by my heart! I could think logically—and even if it __**did**__ help me in tight spots, the rest of my emotions only brought me down… it only made it more difficult to kill people when I needed to…._

To kill people… innocent people, slaughtered on the streets, unable to defend themselves from fear.

A pang of guilt jolted Bakura's heart, like an electric shock. Bakura bit down hard on his lower lip, almost to the point of drawing blood; that did little to stop the sudden wave of sadness that sent his innards into convulsions. In his mind he could see faces… images, of the people he had killed. There were so many—so many faces, many of them just another person in the crowd… but Bakura saw the same expression on them all. The same look of pleading, of desperation in their final moments….

_Stop it!_ he growled._ I don't want to see this! _Though he mentally snarled at the images deep down he could feel his resolve cracking like alabaster. Those horribly terrified eyes, looking at him, begging him not to do what he was about to do….

He could hear their voices.

"_Please, stop! I have a family! A wife and son who need me…!"_

"_Spare my babe! Oh please, Ra and Osiris, spare the child!"_

"_I don't wanna die! Don't kill me… don't kill me, please!"_

Bakura felt his body shaking. His heart was beating so fast—a clammy sweat formed on the back of his neck and upon his brow. He felt like screaming, but he wouldn't… Anzu would hear him, she would know.

She would see that the spell was finally tearing him apart.

_I can't… let this… get to me…!_ He wanted to hug himself, if only to stop the shaking, but he kept his arms firmly at his sides. Rolling waves of so much guilt… their pain became his, and he felt every lashing he had dealt as if it was happening all over again, all at once. Bakura hissed—is this what it felt like, to feel guilt again? Guilt, accumulated over the course of thousands of years?

_I have to keep this under control_…! Steadying himself, Bakura straightened his stature as best he could, his hands balled into tight fists as he forced one foot in front of the other. _I can't get lost in my memories. That's exactly what Samira wants… and she'll want to be there for the long agonizing moments. _Bakura grimaced. _I will __**not**__ allow her that pleasure. I have to end this now_.

Something in his memories sang out to him, and for a moment he felt tears form in his eyes. He blinked them away. He knew what he had to do.

It was the only way… to stop the pain.

Forever.

Making sure that Anzu wasn't watching, Bakura reached up towards his Millennium Ring. He held it tightly, taking one final look at the girl he had been protecting.

_Goodbye, Anzu…._ The item glowed briefly, as the room suddenly became thick with otherworldly shadows….

Anzu didn't really notice the sudden change in visibility. She felt the hall grow a little colder, and out of the blue breathing became a little more difficult. She shrugged it off—it must have been the musky air, all full of ancient dust.

She couldn't really see Bakura in front of her now, but his footsteps were still there, echoing beside her own. Trying her best to get her eyes used to the darkness, she squinted ahead of her, attempting to see.

"It's amazing this place is thousands of years old," Anzu said as they walked on further. "And still so intact. It's as if it never aged… like we went back in time." A few moments of silence followed, and with it Anzu looked curiously to where she assumed Bakura was. "Um, hey, Bakura? How big is this palace? It doesn't seem as if we're getting closer to anywhere important, and we don't have much time—"

Unexpectedly the brunette heard a sharp _clang_ behind her, down the hall a ways. Anzu gave a start, a tiny scream escaping her lips. Turning to look behind her, all she could see was endless darkness.

"Ba-Bakura…?" Anzu could feel her knees buckle as she reached for her slingshot, her hands shaking as she did so. "Bakura, did you hear that…?" Her other hand tried to find the pouch that held her ammunition. Logically Anzu knew it wouldn't do her much good—she couldn't see two inches beyond her nose, much less a moving target several feet away.

She waited in silence. Bakura had not answered her… Anzu felt the hairs stand on the back of her neck.

"…Bakura…?" Still facing back towards the direction where she heard the noise, Anzu tried to feel behind her, hoping to accidentally run her hand over the King of Thieves. He couldn't have walked on ahead of her, and in these empty chambers he would _definitely_ hear her pleas. Although, Anzu realized with a nervous start, whether or not he chose to _respond_ to those cries was his decision and Anzu never really liked his judgment in those departments.

She could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest at the deafening silence bombarding her ears. Her breath came out in short, quick huffs—he wasn't there.

"Bakura!" Panicking, Anzu kept backing up, still facing where she heard the alien sound. Her boots clicked in a steady rhythm as she continued to move back slowly, hoping that whatever had made the noise hadn't heard her. "Bakura, where are you?"

She knew that was impossible. She was the only one there to be heard, and she made her presence pretty clear by now.

She bit her lip, trying not to bay in terror. "Bakura!" She took a few more steps back, until she suddenly hit a wall. Anzu jumped, startled at first, until she found it to only be a solid surface; her free hand ran across it, feeling for maybe a door or something. Anything. All she could feel were the cracks in the brickwork.

_Where is he_? she thought desperately. _Why won't he answer?_ In her dread Anzu instinctively reached up for her cartouche, holding it tightly with one hand as the other grasped the slingshot. She was too busy thinking to notice that it glowed at her touch.

Without warning the overwhelming darkness lifted slightly from the hall. Anzu's eyes blinked, adjusting to the swift change; it was as if a fog had dissipated. The brunette also found the air much easier to breathe, and the chill that permeated her bones also ceased to exist.

Anzu looked around warily. _How did it…?_ She fingered her pendant absently, gazing down the hall. She could see much better now, her eyes attuned to the dimness—visible to her now were the outlines of the walls and floor, as well as the shadowy forms of unlit torches flanking the hallway. She couldn't see too far ahead, but compared to earlier this was a much needed improvement.

Walking away from the wall, Anzu cautiously approached where she had heard the loud crash from before. Now that she could see, Anzu knew she had a better chance at finding whatever made the sound. Maybe it was just an old torch that fell, scaring her for nothing.

_But_, she thought, taking a few more steps forward, _it didn't sound like wood hitting the ground. It was more like metal… like something heavy and made of metal fell on the floor…._

As she got even closer the girl felt a shiver run up her spine. It was times like these that she needed Bakura, and it was always at these times that irony decided to laugh at her like this were some cruel joke.

Anzu frowned. _Oh, if Bakura is doing this __**just**__ to scare me, I don't care if he __**is**__ the King of Thieves—I will kill him if it's the last thing I do_!

She was about to call Bakura's name again, when her eyes spotted a form lying on the ground a few feet away. She stopped where she stood, her breath hitched in her throat—it was thin and long, not very big, and as Anzu observed it from afar she saw it wasn't moving. Assuming it was harmless—and hoping she was right—Anzu advanced, bending down to pick up whatever it was that had fallen.

It wasn't until she was right beside it that she recognized what it was.

Anzu's eyes widened. _This is…!_ She tucked her slingshot inside her left boot, before taking up the weapon and looking at it closely. A jolt of fear spread throughout her body. _This is the sword Bakura got from the jeep!_

It was indeed the same sword—even in the dim hall Anzu would identify that blade anywhere. It was too unique for someone _not_ to remember.

After staring at the sword for some time, Anzu looked up, feeling numb. If Bakura's sword was here, left behind, then what happened to Bakura…?

_Where could he have gone_? Anzu studied the hallway, trying to see if there was anything she had missed before when her vision was not as clear.

Another few feet back she saw a dark opening in the wall. Without thinking she sprinted towards it, still holding Bakura's sword close to her chest.

It was another hallway, Anzu realized; one that branched off from the main hall. Looking down the hall further she could see several other hallways, all hidden from her before by her lack of sight. Standing in the middle of the passage, Anzu could feel her body grow cold.

_He's gone_, Anzu knew. She shook her head but it did little to easy the dizziness she felt. _Why would he—he couldn't have—but he is_. She swallowed hard.

Somehow, in the flight of her rising awareness, her mind recalled old words the Thief King had spoken outside Samira's fortress:

"_Stupid mortal girl… you act as if I'll be chaperoning you through this place the whole Ra-damn time_…."

"_And won't you be, Bakura?"_ she remembered herself saying, along with the strange dismal look that he gave her when he said:

"_Perhaps… but there may be other matters… that I will have to attend to."_

_He… he never intended to stay with me_. Anzu backed up to where she found Bakura's sword, and to the opening closest to it. _He wasn't lying when he said that…he planned to leave, to take care of other things_. The shock of it all just started to hit Anzu, like many bricks falling on top of her.

… _I really am alone_…. Anzu gripped the forgotten blade even tighter, wishing it was the Tomb Robber holding it instead.

"… Why?" she whispered quietly, looking down the dark passage that she could only assume was the one Bakura took. "What is it that you still have to do… Bakura?"

She was never expecting an answer—she knew he wasn't there to tell her why. Still, when the hollow quiet was the only response she received, Anzu couldn't contain her betrayal as a lone tear graced her cheek, and a small wail escaped her lips.

"… _BAKURA_!!!"

Only the echo of her own despair answered her then.

YxAxYxAxYxAxYxAxYxAxYxAxYxA

Author's Note: _Phew! Okay, Chapter 71 is done! (It's been so long since I could say that…!)_

_Again, I'm sure it's NOT the chapter you're all wanting to read (No, you all wanna know what the HELL happened to Yugi and Atemu, don't cha?) All in good time, my dears (actually that might POSSIBILY be next chapter's theme, so just wait a little longer!)_

_I'll repeat myself: I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! You guys rock. Thanks so much for your reviews and just sticking with me (if you're still there, that is…)_

_Oh, and before I forget, during my long hiatus this story has hit its __**600**__**th**__ review! Yes, folks, even when I'm not doing this we still hit milestones!_ _And the person who gave me my 600__th__ review is…._

…**lark lover**!

_Arigatou! And thanks to everyone who reviewed before and after them to get them to that spot!_

_Well, I must be off. Hope to see you all soon (and remember to review, it's been so long I wanna hear from y'all!_

_Sayonara!_


	72. No Longer the Same

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and all people, places, and events from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! were written and are the rightful property of Kazuki Takahashi (as it should be; if any of us fanfiction writers get our little hands on it... well, then it wouldn't be Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Author's Note: _… (stares at the last time she updated)._

_(whacks herself on the head a few times with her tennis racket)_

_OMGWTFICBIHABSLSIUTFIASABTYA!!_

_Gomen, gomen, gomen times infinity and beyond! I am SO sorry, loves! This kind of abandonment is completely unforgivable. Feel free to totally bash me in your next review if you feel like it—I obviously deserve it._

_I feel like a total biotch for letting all my fanfics go like this. Then again, my life seems to have sucked these last one and a half years, so who's to know? I suppose that doesn't really give me an excuse to go on hiatus for about a __**year**__…._

_Ahem. Anyways, ARIGATOU REVIEWERS! You guys are the best devoted fans any authoress could ask for (sniff). Now, let's get down to business before I completely go fangirl on you all. _

_Okay, for one, let me promise all of you one thing: YUGI IS NOT __**DEAD**__, NOR IS HE GOING __**TO DIE**__ ANYTIME SOON._ _I doubt I'm really so heartless as to kill the little guy off… though, I do have some tendencies to make a sudden 180 in the middle of a story (keeps ya'll guessing… and me too). How he is otherwise, however, is left VERY questionable… hehehehehehe…._

_And who said HE was the one who was going to die, anyways? (tremble, readers… you have NO idea what's in store!)_

_Peeps who love me and I loves them back:_ **ray1, SeleneXAngel, Isis the Sphinx, kunoichi's Anzu 4ever, Hikari2, Jessica Morgan, spiritfire, ANZU&ATEMU FAN, Volume 5, shadow-fox313, LaZella, lark lover, Elfbrat18, Dancers and Pharaohs, Anyoo Princess of Shadows, murray, coolbreezes, Michelle Atemu's friend, PharaohYamifan, Jna-chan Gaibomaster XP, AngeloflightPd, murray, White Dragon Girl, lynnwoo, t recorder, jing-er, Ruize, ELLE 31773 **_and_, _as I am VERY pleased to announce, my younger sister has FINALLY reviewed this story after many months and seventy chapters of waiting… the adorable but vicious _**Spirit Chu**!!_ (she has some cute stuff if you ever feel like checking it out… go visit her profile sometime)_

_Um, so… freshly baked cookies for reviewers, cuz you all rock. For the rest of you… REVIEW! I may have been gone for a while but Ra-damnit, if you've read this far I think it's about time you said something, like, oh I dunno… "I LOVE THIS FIC!" or words to that degree. _

_Read on and be amazed at my overabundance of filler chapter!_

#2 Author's Note: _Thoughts in italics, as well as (if y'all remember correctly) events in the Afterlife (hmm, guess what happens in THIS chapter, eh?)_

**Revival of the Heart**

**By: Angel's Nocturne**

**Chapter 72: No Longer the Same….**

_Priest Seth marched down the dimly lit hallways of the palace, his robes billowing behind him as he sharply turned corner after corner. The light of the torches barely illuminated his path, but his mind was preoccupied with matters of greater importance than the lighting in this replica of their home. Right now, he couldn't even relax, the tension flowing off him in waves as he stiffly trudged onward in the semi-darkness._

_Maahado's apprentice had sounded urgent when she said the King Akhenamkhanen and Siamun wanted to speak to them. From what Mana briefly exchanged it had something to do with the absence of their Pharaoh, Atemu. Seth had taken notice of his cousin's sudden disappearance. He hadn't thought to question his unease until Mana made it clear that something was amiss._

What could it be this time?_ Seth pondered as he continued through the dark corridors, silent save the soft thud of his footsteps echoing against the stone walls and swish of his priest robes in the stale air. _I know my cousin has been in a troubled state since he arrived here—he worries for his friends in the living far more than he needs to. However, that could hardly explain what all the fuss is about now ….

"_Lord Seth?" The brunet priest turned to meet the worried gaze of his love. Kisara stood only inches behind him, as she had been trying to keep up with his determined pace but failing. His pause allowed her to finally return to his side, and in the dull lighting her sapphire eyes burned with a mystic radiance of their own. The light of the White Dragon, Seth surmised._

_He nodded sternly, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I am well, don't worry. My mind has simply jumped to conclusions that give me some cause for concern." Thinking the conversation over, he faced forward again to persist onward, but Kisara's voice penetrated the stillness. _

"_You are concerned for the Pharaoh," she announced. Her tone was calm and sure, different from her usual meekness. "You believe that something has befallen him. Something of great distress."_

_The priest was amazed at how receptive the girl could be; it was strange to him, how she seemed to know what he was thinking and feeling, without him ever saying a word to her about it. Then again, their close bond was like a link between their spirits, and the priest understood the value of that connection; Kisara would always know where his heart and mind were, no matter how much he tried to hide it behind a wall of arrogance or reserve. Seth glanced back, but only for a moment before returning his gaze forward, towards his destination. "I cannot be worried that our Pharaoh is in danger, for I still do not know what it is that Siamun has called us for. One cannot fret over something they haven't yet discovered." He began to tread forward, knowing Kisara would follow. "You heard what Mana said. The sooner we hear what King Akhenamkhanen and Siamun have to say, the sooner I may worry about whatever it is that is happening."_

_The sound of Kisara's hurried footsteps falling in synch with his own told him he had finished the discussion. The light-skinned woman didn't speak much, so it was usually refreshing when she did. This time, though, Seth had too much weighing on his thoughts, and though the silver-haired foreigner had hit a bull's eye in her assumption, he didn't feel it right to open up about his disquiet._

_He had much of it, and it was all directed on Atemu's strange nonattendance._

_The young Egyptian wasn't the only one to be troubled about their Pharaoh's well-being—if Atemu was trying to hide how depressed he was, he wasn't being at all successful. Everyone could feel it as if it were a tangible pressure emanating from his person; he didn't have to say anything of it for the others to be aware._

_Seth had felt uneasy about his cousin's ill manner, but not nearly as much as his fellow priests. He knew Isis and Maahado were two of the most worried, but despite their obvious alarm no one made any move to do or say anything to the young Pharaoh about it. They had hoped that it was a simple bout of homesickness from Atemu's previous residence among the living and that it would pass after a time._

But our waiting was in vain._ Seth scowled at the thought, hoping he was wrong._ Now something has happened, and it may very well be that Atemu is in trouble._ He couldn't help but remember how anxious Mana seemed to pass on Siamun's orders. Whatever they wished to discuss in the king's chambers, it was of great importance._

_After another few twists and turns, Seth and Kisara arrived at Akhenamkhanen's quarters. The room was still as grand and decorated as it had been in life, a flawless reflection of their memory of home. Upon entering, the chestnut-haired youth spotted the other priests—Shaada and Isis were already there and speaking with the former Pharaoh and Siamun, whose backs were to him and Kisara. The two were talking to their king in rushed, pressing voices, too preoccupied to notice their entrance; he would not have felt bothered by this, except for the pained expressions they wore as Akhenamkhanen nodded in answer._

_Seth rigidly approached, a part of him secretly hoping that they weren't as disconcerted as he thought. If something could make the High Priests this unsettled, it had to be very bad. Kisara lingered behind him, her face scrunched in apprehension as she unconsciously placed a hand on Seth's shoulder for comfort, but it did little to ease the man's growing anxiety. He doubted anything could at this point._

"_What is all of this about?" he asked._

_Akhenamkhanen wheeled around, followed by Siamun. Isis and Shaada both looked over at him, almost surprised by his sudden intrusion, before they averted their gazes from him awkwardly._

_Akhenamkhanen cleared his throat. "Seth, Kisara." He gestured for them to come closer, the frown lines etched deeply around his mouth. The atmosphere of the room was clearly reflected in his appearance and was eating away at him. "I am glad the two of you could come so swiftly. Have you seen Priest Karim and Priest Maahado?"_

_Before Seth could open his mouth to reply a voice rang out from the entrance. "Right here, my King." Seth took a quick glance behind him to see the two priests in question, as well as Mana, emerging from the dark hallway, rushing in as quickly as they could manage without sprinting into a run. "I apologize for out lateness," Maahado added, looking a little disheveled. "We came here as soon as we received word from Mana."_

"_I didn't tell them much," Mana interjected, pulling her skirt down a little as it had hiked up during their dash, "but I got everyone over here as fast as I could." _

"_What has happened, my Pharaoh?" Karim asked. His eyes flitted nervously to Isis and Shaada, who looked at him with fearful eyes. "The way Mana spoke it sounded as if Pharaoh Atemu was in some sort of trouble. Please, is this true?"_

_Akhenamkhanen sighed heavily, his body sagging a bit with the effort. Though their forms were no longer aging and bodily nuisances were unheard of, that didn't stop the stress of the situation from taking a toll on him. Seth noticed the deep lines etched in his uncle's forehead, the permanent furrowing of his brow. The sensation of guilt radiating from the elder man was so substantial Seth swore he it enveloped him like a cloud._

"_Your concern is not unjustified," he began, looking at Seth. They locked gazes for a second, before continuing. "I am sure you have taken note of my son's behavior. He worries for the living world, which is not a groundless concern—you are all also aware of what is happening there, I take it?"_

"_Yes, but what does any of that have to do with him not being here?" Seth quickly questioned. "Let us get to the point: where is he?"_

_Kisara's hand moved down from his shoulder to the nook of his arm, gripping it tightly. "Seth…." _

_His uncle raised up his hand for silence. "Please, my nephew, we shall get to that. I know you are as anxious as the rest to know why I have called you here, and you will receive your answers. Have patience."_

"_But—" Seth started, intending to argue further, but seeing the worried look on Kisara's face as well as the others, he slumped his shoulders and bit his lip. This wasn't the time to quarrel among themselves, especially if Atemu's fate was involved. Akhenamkhanen waited to be sure that Seth was finished, before surveying the others in the room._

"_What is happening amid the living is an event of catastrophic evil," the elderly Pharaoh persisted. "I am certain you can all sense it—a growing darkness that is plaguing those of that realm. Atemu was worried for his companions, knowing that they would be the first to fight such an evil if it ever manifested—however, he did not know what was the cause of this destruction… and it was perhaps rightly so that he didn't."_

"_Then who or what is the maker of this dark energy?" Karim inquired uncertainly. "The energy pattern is distinctly familiar to me, but the memory is vague. It can't be…Zorc Necrophades?"_

_Akhenamkhanen shook his head. "No, Zorc Necrophades still remains locked within the Puzzle, and pray to the Gods that is where he'll stay." He paused, taking in a shaky breath. The others watched restlessly, hanging on his every word, waiting for the news they all came to hear. "The enemy that has appeared, however, is one you will recall. And she may be more dangerous than even Zorc himself."_

_A collective hush fell over the priests like a crowd. Finally Seth found the nerve to break it, his confusion channeled into annoyance and anger._

"_What are you saying?" he exclaimed, his eyes wide. "A woman even more treacherous than a God? How could someone be that powerful and yet we don't remember her?" His mind was running a mile a minute, sifting through his memories to identify the person his uncle spoke of. Surely someone with that kind of power would be committed to memory! He ran through as much as he could recall of his living life, but to no avail, the description of the woman in question still eluded him._

Who could hold that kind of control?_ Seth thought, astonished.___And someone I have met before as well… I should know who she is! Why is it that I cannot remember her…?

_Karim stepped forward, his face contorted in a similar air of shock and perplexity. "Yes, my King," he whispered hastily, "please, who is this person that you speak of? This energy that plagues the living, I know I recognize it. There's some familiar essence that my mind fails to name… please, we must know. What is this danger and how do we stop it?"_

_Akhenamkhanen opened his mouth as if to speak, but then closed it. His ancient eyes turned away, as if the words were too painful for him to speak. Siamun placed a hand on his shoulder, watching with concern._

"_Just a name, my King," Maahado encouraged. _

_The room lay thick with apprehension and silence. At last Siamun, shaking his head, turned to face the rest of the High Priests. "My Pharaoh, perhaps it would be best if I told them—"_

"_No," Akhenamkhanen said sharply. His tired gaze fell over his audience, and the weight upon his shoulders felt heavier than it had ever been. For the first time in over a millennia, he felt the longing for his wife's arms around him, consoling him. His heart ached slightly—he never had a chance to do the same for her._

"… _Samira," he finally said. "That is the name you seek. Samira."_

YxAxYxAxYxAxYxAxYxAxYxAxYxA

Samira never imagined it would turn out like this.

She had anticipated this day. It was all supposed to go perfectly. For centuries she had waited… she had lingered, planning and thinking that everything would be alright if she could prove her worth. After the death of Mother, and then her own demise, she had vowed to any god who heard her that she would one day have her vengeance. One day, she would conquer the world that hated her and her kind, and she would rebuild it in the vision Mother had imagined.

One day, she would have the respect and love of the Queen… of her own mother.

And now, finally, after several millennia and infinite patience, the vampire princess brought her goal to life. The revival had been a success—Mother returned to Her rightful throne, and the world of the ignorant humans was crumbling under her massive armies and unconstrained power.

She imagined she should feel as joyous as could be. This was what she had wanted, and now she had it… at least, she had the things she could actually obtain. Samira knew for sure now; she would never have the respect and love of Rakia. At least… not the Rakia she once knew.

That Rakia was gone.

Or maybe she was never there to begin with; perhaps, Samira thought, she had been fooling herself all along with an illusion. As the princess sat on the stone steps leading up to her dais—now Mother's—she stole a quick glance behind her at the throne that she had been sitting in only hours before.

It felt strange, seeing Mother in the flesh, for once real and tangible in the world of the living. As much as Samira kept the mental image of Rakia in her mind—using it to motivate herself at times when her cause seemed unattainable—observing Her with her own eyes again was a surreal experience. Every detail of the woman whom she'd risk her very life for, every shadow and movement, was so unlike the fuzzy memories Samira had grasped for so long in desperation that the vampire child found herself staring for long periods of time, as if trying to capture the image in her mind in case she would never lay eyes upon it again. She'd pull her gaze away if the other was about to notice, but even with her eyes averted the vision was burned into her mind's eye like a photograph.

The Queen of Vampires was not a hair older than when She was bound so many centuries ago, though that was no surprise to Samira as vampires didn't age in the least anyways. Aging was for vessels who were still alive and growing—something vampires certainly weren't, at least not anymore. She sat with the elegance and grace of a goddess, holding Herself high as She kept perched to the ornate throne of Her daughter. Her skin was a light mocha, like dusty bronze, made even darker in shade by the contrast of Her ghostly-white robes. Black hair like strands of night sky cascaded around her head and over her shoulders, framing her soft face and crimson-red eyes.

The same red eyes that Samira remembered from childhood—the ones that would gaze at her with kindness and consideration… they were so similar to those ruby eyes she saw as a little girl.

_But… they are not the same_, Samira reminded herself sadly. _I _know_ those eyes, I know them with every fiber of my being… and She does not have them. _

Rakia was not the only one sitting on her daughter's throne. Upon the large stone chair, cradled on Her lap, was Her son and heir Atemu. The vampire Queen had Her one arm wrapped around him gently as Her opposite hand slowly stroked his wild hair; She watched him, Her eyes soft as She cooed to him. Atemu no longer looked like the defiant Pharaoh Samira had chained to a wall a while ago—in Mother's arms he was calm, his expression serene as he lay there like a treasured doll. His eyes, now as red as the blood that stained his lips, were empty of all will and thought. In Her embrace he somehow appeared small and fragile, like the child he once was so many millennia ago.

Samira could see how lovingly Rakia was to Atemu, and though her jealousy enflamed her being, it was not the true emotion that drove her thoughts. Instead she was filled with a deep sense of apprehension—she couldn't pinpoint why, except in the strangeness of mother's gaze. Her eyes were not the same, she knew, not the same ones she remembered as a child. The warm spark that once glowed from Her eyes had been extinguished, and now something else formed in its place. It was a different light—a dark light. Samira didn't want to admit it, but the look in Rakia's eyes… unnerved her. Frightened her.

Samira sighed. _Mother_, she begged, _what happened to you? All those years, alone and powerless…has the loneliness eaten away at your soul? It is what has changed you so…?_

"The end is almost here."

Samira inwardly jumped as the quiet broke at Mother's words. She turned to look back—Rakia was looking at her, Her expression blank as blood-red eyes bore into the princess. The cold certainty in them sent shivers up Samira's spine.

As if She felt Samira's trepidation, a small smile formed on Her blood-stained lips. "What do you think of, child?" She asked.

Samira arose from her stairs and bowed. "I think of nothing more than Your approaching victory, Mother." She lied, though it wasn't really a lie. It was the truth, if only a small part of what her mind pondered over.

Rakia nodded, her gaze wandering back to Her precious prince. She curled him closer to Her and kissed him lightly on the forehead. Samira's hands balled into fists automatically, and it took all her might to calm herself—she relaxed her grip, her sharp nails having nearly pierced the flesh of her palms. "It won't be long now," Rakia said. "He is still recovering, but once he is finished changing, Atemu's power will be at its fullest peak. And with it I shall be able to break the bind that seals me to that wretched jar." Her eyes shot to where the small vase sat beside the misty mirror. The reflection remained dark and cloudy, as the temporary portal had a few hours left before it closed and sealed the Queen away again.

Samira averted her gaze downward. "Your imprisonment must have been difficult, all these years."

"Indeed," Rakia spat. Her lips, once held in a serene smile, now twisted into a disgusted grimace. "Time did not exist inside that infernal prison. There were moments where I thought myself dead, only to realize it was a pitiful dream, and that I still remained. If I had physical hands I would have clawed at the walls until my nails peeled off and my fingers bled." Suddenly the tranquil smile returned to her features, smoothing her bronze face. "It is true what they say: prison does change a person. It gave me time to think, and now I understand. Now I know the truth."

Samira looked up. "The truth?" she inquired.

"That what I once believed was a lie. Before my banishment, I was but a naïve child who dreamed of things that could not be." Rakia ran her fingers deeper into Atemu's hair, and in response the prince sleepily leaned up into it. "I used to think vampires and humans might coexist in harmony—with some effort, perhaps the prey could stand beside the predator and share this world with equal reign. But," she sighed, "I see now that such thoughts are meant for the foolish. There is only one thing true in this world, and it is this:

"Humans will never accept vampires. They will live in fear of us, and act upon their fear, even if we promise to spare them in our bloodlust. In their small, puny minds they will only think of themselves, and they'll tear down our kind, just as they do now. I cannot stand for this any longer." Rakia's eyes hardened. "When this world belongs to me, I will see that the human scourge know their rightful place as the cattle they are. From now on, the vampires shall become the true predators of the world, and feast freely upon the blood of the lowly human _scum_!"

She cackled softly, showing off her sharpened canines. Samira looked in horror upon her Queen, her Mother, as the words She spoke gradually began to register. Samira slowly shook her head, back and forth, as if the motion would erase it from her memory.

"M-Mother…." She stared at Her in such a way that her claret eyes should have swelled with tears—would have, it she was no longer immortal. She couldn't even tremble, she was so frozen in shock. _What have you become? What darkness has infected your soul and made you so venomous with hate…? _Samira held on desperately to her memories of Rakia, to the smiling Rakia she once knew. They were barely holding her to reality, reminding her that this goddess was the same in her thoughts.

She watched as Rakia's eyes seemed to glaze over, as if She were looking past everything. She hissed a laugh that was both a satisfied sigh and a hungry growl. "The time will come," She purred, bloodlust evident in Her gaze, "when the children on the night, _my_ children, shall roam without hesitation across the lands of humankind. We can domesticate them, as they do to their own livestock—oh, to see their faces, degraded to being nothing more than cattle! And then the fear, and their helplessness… when they finally realize that the only way out is to die… then the sweetest of all revenge shall flow through me without remorse. Then I shall feel whole again! Then I shall return all the suffering they have wrought undo me all these many, many years!" Rakia burst into a full-fledge chortle, Her teeth glistening under the light of the torches as Her voice lashed like whip onto Samira. Her eyes were wild with unbridled joy at the vision She alone was seeing, and Samira could not help but cringe at the sight of it.

Then Rakia's laugh quieted, Her eyes returning back to the room She and her family sat in. Her gaze found Samira's, and a smug smirk graced Her full lips like a lioness having finished a gratifying kill. She reached a bejeweled hand forward, the gold bracelets _clink-_ing in the silence.

"And none of this would be without you, Samira."

There was nothing that could have prepared Samira for those words. She felt them, even more powerfully than her Queen's sudden bout of insanity, like someone had squeezed her undead heart to force it to beat. Her eyes widened fractionally, her surprise hardly a barrier for the elation she tried to contain.

Mother had just… acknowledged her? Mother just… showed her thanks?

If she had heard it from anyone else, she might not have believed them. With the way Rakia had been acting—with the declaration of human destruction She just admitted to—Samira was sure that the Mother she knew had died when the vampire hunters locked Her in the clay jar. Every time Her blood-red orbs fell on Samira they had been filled with nothing but cold emptiness and indifference. There didn't seem to be a shard of compassion left in her Queen, especially none for her.

But now, there it was, the kindness she had been hoping for. Wishing for. Only in her thoughts and now, it was really there. If it wasn't for Atemu sitting placidly at Mother's side the entire moment might have been a dream.

Rakia's fingers gestured to her to come, Her eyes half-lidded with what Samira could only define as motherly affection. "Well, daughter?" Rakia cooed. "Will you not let your dear Mother show you gratitude?"

A bubble of pride and longing swelled in Samira's chest, well over conquering any fear or uncertainty she had felt earlier. If she had experienced any doubt toward her Queen, it was non-existent now.

Almost dazed, Samira arose from the dais steps and approached the throne, _her _throne, to reach for Mother's hand. She grasped it gently, fearing Mother's reproach if she held it too hard, and felt a shiver of pleasure race through her when Rakia squeezed back.

"Thank you, Samira," She said softly. "Your sacrifices will be well repaid, daughter."

Samira was unable to control the spasm of glee that forced her lips into a grin of victory. She managed to restrain the giggle that nearly escaped her fluttering heart, and smoothed her expression to a calm smile.

"There need be no thanks on my part, Mother," she announced clearly, bowing her head in grateful submission. "Your return is thanks enough, and more so."

"I see." The hand shifted slightly in Samira's grasp, and the princess's head jerked up to catch the reason for the movement. The calm—and in Samira's eyes—caring expression on Rakia's face was enough to shove her doubts back into the dark corners of her mind. "You hear me speak of dark things, child," She continued as Samira straightened herself and stood by Rakia's side, opposite where Atemu sat. "I wish for you not to fret over them. There will be time to work out all infractions so that peace can be restored. You must simply sit back and let Mother create the new world." She smiled, and the dazzling brilliance of her fangs made an unnatural feeling of childish excitement swim in Samira's veins. She had no time to register the oddness of it before Rakia spoke again. "Everything will be perfect for us this time. All you have to do is let Mother take if from here, my daughter. Do you understand?"

Samira nodded, a calm, sure move, but inside she was giddy. Everything would be as it should be. And there would be peace, just like Mother used to promise before their lives were ruined by humans.

She had been wrong—how could she not have seen that Mother's best intentions were always there? That she was still the same.

_I will follow her to the end. _Samira's smile slowly started to match the one that Atemu wore as they both remained close to their mother on the throne. Rakia placed a delicate hand on her arm, and Samira felt only happiness at the contact.

_I will never doubt her again_.

YxAxYxAxYxA

Author's Note: _Yes—the undeniable agony of the filler chapter. Not even worth reading but not to be overlooked for its secretive insight into what is to come._

… _In other words it's crap and I'm sorry you had to read it._

_The Samira part was recently done while the Seth part had been completed directly after Chapter 71 was uploaded. Notice the difference? I re-started this chapter on a whim once my laptop got back from being cleaned of Trojan viruses (nasty little buggers) and it feels so good to be using my laptop again in the privacy of my room. The home computer is just too… out in the open. And slow as molasses. Bleh._

_Well, once again, I make no promises as to an update. I might be feeling all up to writing now, but that never seems to guarantee a similar feeling until a half a year later. Plus now I have summer homework to do. Three books, two essays, and a big journal on all three of them. Plus summer math. And an AP bio outline of the first eight chapters._

… _I'm so glad I only have one more year left of this annoyance. (YAY SENIOR YEAR!)_

_(Hug) Until we meet again, my readers! _


	73. A Note to All My Readers

Hi there everyone.

It's been a long time since I've updated this story, or any of my other multi-chapter fanfictions. I'm at two years remission from finishing chemo, and I've graduated high school, so yeah, that really is a long time later. While it brings me nothing but ill feelings to say it, I don't think I can continue these stories any longer. Whatever plot or writing plans I had for these works has disintegrated, and if I did try to update now the stories would only be shells of their former selves. It would be more of a disappointment than anything.

I'm sorry to all of you who have been so faithful with your reviews and favorites. I know you've been waiting a while for me to continue, but these pieces really have died on me, and anything I pull up now would be crap. I'm just sending this to let you know this, and that I will no longer visit this account.

Again, I apologize. T__T I really don't want to do this, but my clinging onto any of finishing these stories is useless.

I'm glad you have enjoyed what was written thus far. It makes me happy to know how much you liked my work.

I wish you all best of luck in your own projects. Thank you for what you have given me.

Sincerely,

Angel's Nocturne


End file.
